1 year into Sudan conflict, hunger at risk of becoming catastrophic: UN

Nearly 18M people face acute food insecurity in Sudan, says Food and Agricultural Organization

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - Over the past year since the conflict in Sudan broke out, the food insecurity situation has reached “absolutely terrifying depths,” especially in hard-to-reach areas, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) warned Tuesday.

“As of February 2024, the harrowing reality reveals nearly 18 million people face acute levels of food insecurity, of which 4.9 million are at major risk of falling into catastrophic levels if the conflict continues and humanitarian assistance is not provided,” said Adam Yao, the deputy FAO representative in Sudan.

“The ongoing hostilities are brutally undermining agricultural production, jeopardizing people’s livelihoods.”

Yao said that up to 60-80% of the population depends on or engages in agriculture for their income, and the repercussions are devastating.

According to preliminary findings of the Annual Crop and Food Supply Assessment Report for Sudan, cereal production dropped 46% from the previous year.

It was about 40% below the average of the prior five years.

In West Darfur State, there was a complete crop failure during the planting season due to insecurity.

The FAO said that as the main planting season approaches, it is imperative to provide critical support for the emergency production of key local staple cereals such as sorghum, millet, sesame, and more.

“Failure to do so could result in reaching new levels of hunger beyond our capacity to mitigate,” said Yao.

The FAO urgently seeks $104 million to bolster food production, protect livestock, and help the agriculture sector recover before conflict destroys the gains sown by generations.

The organization said the “resounding” success of its 2023 emergency seed distribution campaign shows the indispensable role of agricultural support in times of crisis.

“Now, more than ever, the Sudanese people cannot afford to be failed. The support they need is urgent and non-negotiable,” said Yao.

The war in Sudan broke out on April 15, 2023 over disagreements over integrating the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the army.

The conflict has caused a devastating humanitarian crisis, and clashes have killed nearly 16,000 people and displaced millions.

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