Imtithal’s Journey: From Struggle to Sustainable Farming
In Sudan’s Southern Sawagi area, Imtithal balances caring for her five children with leading change in her community as a member of the Al-Haram Agricultural Association.
Every morning, she manages household chores before heading to the fields – harvesting vegetables, checking irrigation pumps, and supporting farmers with their daily needs. But in recent years, farming has become more difficult. Delayed rains, poor access to electricity, and shortages of seeds and fertilizers have left families struggling to earn an income.
The arrival of people displaced by conflict added further strain. At one point, Imtithal and her family hosted 35 people in their home while her wider family supported dozens more. “We provided food and vegetables from our farms, but there was nothing left to sell,” she explains. “It was a heavy financial burden, but supporting each other is the right thing to do.”
Climate change, power cuts, and water shortages made it even harder to sustain farming. But Imtithal was determined to find a better way. Through working with our team in Sudan, she joined training in drying vegetables, drip irrigation, and Farmer Field Schools. She learned how to make organic fertiliser from crop residues and livestock manure, trialled new planting techniques, and experimented with soil management.
A study visit to Tanzania gave her fresh inspiration. She saw how farmers there used simple methods to raise healthy seedlings, retain soil moisture, and process tomatoes into sauce to reduce waste. She brought these lessons back home, adapting them to local conditions.
“Practical Action kept their promises,” she says. “They delivered seeds and support on time. With them, we made real progress.”
Today, Imtithal is a successful entrepreneur. With higher yields and better techniques, she has new confidence in the future. “I now aspire to reach the stage of exporting within two years.” She told us. What a transformation!
Imtithal’s story shows how practical knowledge, delivered reliably and on time, can empower farmers to overcome crisis and build sustainable livelihoods.
Find out more about our work in Sudan.