Government Policies and Food Security in Sudan (1970-2007): Incentives, Efficiencies and Comparative Advantage for Sorghum Producing in Mechanised Rain-fed Subsector

This study aimed to analysis the impacts of government policies on food security in Sudan (1970-2007). The incentives, efficiencies and comparative advantage for sorghum producing in mechanized rain-fed subsector were analyzed using the Policy Analysis Matrix. The calculations of private and social profitability provided information to identify the impacts of policies on sorghum production. The period of the analysis divided into five sub-periods to represent the different economic situations in the Sudan. The results were summarized within a sub-period by using moving average of intervals. The results found that the government intervention policies were incentive producers in the sub-periods within the range of 1985-2007. Therefore, the country was economically had a competitiveness in producing sorghum (DRC was positive and less than one and range from 0.4464 to 0.6570. The exception made for sub-period of 1992/94-2000/02 where the DRC was more than one. Moreover, the policies distortions taxed producers by 31.6% and 29.1% in sub-periods within the range of 1970-1985 and subsidized them by 335%, 95% and 74% in sub-periods within the range of 1985-2007.