In 2003, 2007 and 2013, Sudan was particularly harshly affected by flash floods that displaced hundreds of thousands of people. In order to better prepare and warn farmers of flood events, they need access to real-time information and they need to be able to exchange and apply the information.
To fill this gap, the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) recently completed research on the potential use of satellite data in flood-based farming in Sudan. The project is support by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The target of the project is to provide operational flood mapping services and the development of a flood forecasting system. Via Smart ICT (e.g. cell-phones backed up by the web), farmers and relevant authorities will be better informed on flood data for their respective decision making processes.
The flood forecasting tool will use the Hydrological Modeling System and River Analysis System provided by the US Army's Hydrologic Engineering Center. Additionally, the tool will use data on soil and land cover, and water flow.
