When conflict forced Hajer Othman, an IT specialist from Khartoum, to flee her home in 2023, she arrived in her mother's village in Sudan's Northern State with nothing but determination. Her mother suggested farming -- an idea that at first seemed impossible. But thanks to the Sudan Emergency Wheat Production Project (SEWPP), financed by the African Development Bank Group and implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP), Hajer found a lifeline.

With improved seeds, fertiliser, and training, she began cultivating wheat -- and hope.

"We came with nothing, but we didn't want to be a burden; we had to find a way to support ourselves," recalled Othman.

Hajer's success inspired other displaced women to follow her lead. Together, they turned arid land into fields of wheat and vegetables, forming a small network of women farmers reclaiming their autonomy through agriculture. In her first season, she met her family's food needs and earned around $1,000 in three months -- more than Sudan's average annual income -- by selling fresh okra, cucumber and watermelon.

"We made the decision to be productive, not passive," she said. "We didn't want to be stuck waiting for help. Now we've gone from being displaced to becoming profitable farmers."

Across Gezira, River Nile, Northern, and White Nile States, the project has supported over 313,000 smallholder farmers, including 22,000 women, with certified seeds, fertiliser, and training. Better seeds and training have seen yields rise by 20-30 percent, producing more than 645,000 tonnes of wheat on 300,000 hectares of land.

"Before the project, I could barely afford certified seeds," said Ahmed Awad, a 36-year-old farmer from Al-Golid, in Northern State. "Now my wheat yields have jumped by nearly a third, and I've even installed a solar system at home to overcome power cuts. Farming is once again sustaining my family -- even in these hard times."

The $76 million project, approved in December 2022, is part of the Bank's wider $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility - a sweeping, bold response to help regional member countries deal with food supply disruptions, partly triggered by the global grain crisis. It has supported an estimated 14 million African farmers with loans and grants across 35 countries. To date, the facility has partnered with the private sector to distribute 462,000 tonnes of climate-smart seeds and three million tonnes of fertilisers.

"What the African Emergency Food Production Facility in Sudan and other Bank regional member countries have been able to accomplish in just two years - producing an additional 43.5 million tonnes of food, is an example of how the Bank delivers measurable impact is an example of how the Bank delivers measurable impact at speed," said Martin Fregene, Officer in Charge for the Agriculture, Human and Social Development Vice Presidency.

The Bank collaboration in Sudan came at a moment when the country's wheat fields were on the brink of collapse.

"Years of political instability, climate shocks, and the global grain crisis left Sudan heavily dependent on imports -- including up to 80 percent of its wheat," explained Mary Monyau, the Bank's Sudan Country Manager. "When global wheat prices tripled, even bread became a symbol of despair."

Working with Sudan's Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Corporation, the Sudan Emergency Wheat Production Project has distributed more than 16,800 tonnes of climate-smart wheat seeds and 41,000 tonnes of fertiliser through a certified e-voucher system.

In nearby River Nile State, the project provided Rekham Al Ahimer access to a combine harvester that made harvesting more efficient, reducing production losses. In previous seasons, her field would produce 1.6 tonnes of wheat per hectare. Production has since doubled production to 3.8 tonnes.

"The shortage of quality seeds and the high cost of fertiliser previously limited my yields," Al Ahimer said. "I now produce enough wheat to ensure my family's access to good food and our overall living condition has improved by using the saved funds to address other essential needs."

Despite challenges from insecurity, electricity shortages and inflation, this project has proven that in fragile settings, investing in farmers means investing in stability. Through determination, partnership and innovation, the Sudan Emergency Wheat Production Project turned crisis into opportunity.

"This project gave us the tools to stand on our feet again," Awad said thankfully.

Following the success of Phase I, Phase II of the Sudan Emergency Wheat Production Project will launch 16 October 2025.