Almost 6 million people, 13% of the population, are considered in crisis hunger or worse in Sudan.
Inflation has risen to over 300%, with economic shocks such as Covid-19 and suspension of support from the international community due to a coup in 2021 adding further stress to the economy.
Tight supplies of cereal, above average food prices, reduced household buying power and conflict and displacement are limiting households’ access to food. The amount of wheat planted during the winter season was 28% lower year on year, largely due to shortages of better quality seeds and fertiliser, with the rising price of electricity affecting pump irrigation to water crops.
Main harvest seasons in 2021/2022 were disrupted in two states due to conflict, with violence expected to increase further in 2022. Nationwide protests continue, interrupting people’s access to markets and reducing opportunities for poor urban households to earn a living.
2021 also saw extreme weather events such as heavy rains and flooding, following on from 2020 and the worst floods experienced in the country in almost a century. Climate related events continue to have an impact on people’s ability to produce food and maintain livelihoods.
Concern's Response
Food insecurity has increased in all the areas Concern operates in in Sudan. We reached just under half a million people in 2021, through our development and emergency response programmes.
We’re working with communities to manage acute malnutrition, including providing nutrition information and sensitisation around infant and young child feeding at mother care groups, and providing therapeutic food for the most serious of cases in young children. Kitchen gardens and cooking demonstrations also play a role in providing people with the tools to grow their own food.
Our programmes work with food producers and small farmers, to provide training, run seed fairs, introduce and distribute improved drought tolerant seeds, distribute livestock and share best practices for their care and management.
Resilience to climate change is also an important element of our programming, helping villages and communities create plans in how best to adapt and reduce their risk through strengthening their early warning systems and building community capacity and practices.
* The Global Report on Food Crises is an annual report from the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), an international alliance of the United Nations, The EU, governmental and non-governmental agencies working together to tackle food crises.