{"id":20070984,"date":"2024-02-06T11:29:08","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T10:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20070984"},"modified":"2024-04-15T19:03:51","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T17:03:51","slug":"fews-net-clashes-worsening-already-severe-food-insecurity-in-sudan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/fews-net-clashes-worsening-already-severe-food-insecurity-in-sudan","title":{"rendered":"FEWS NET: Clashes worsening ‘already severe’ food insecurity in Sudan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has spread to Sudan\u2019s breadbasket in the south-east, food security in the country has become more insecure, according to a Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) alert published on Thursday.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Ethiopia and Yemen, Sudan is expected to have the third highest share of the population in need among FEWS NET\u2019s monitored countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe widening of hostilities, combined with large-scale population displacement, atrocities against civilians, destruction of goods and infrastructure, pervasive looting, and poor humanitarian access, is worsening an already severe food security situation,\u201d reported FEWS NET. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some households are expected to deteriorate to a catastrophic level in Omdurman, Khartoum state, and El Geneina, West Darfur, in the upcoming lean season. FEWS NET also reported that \u201ccrisis outcomes are widespread\u201d and \u201cemergency outcomes exist in heavily impacted urban areas.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Significant disruption and limited, minimal, or no activity across Sudan\u2019s market and trade routes has exacerbated the crisis in Sudan in December and January. Along with \u201cbureaucratic and insecurity-related challenges impeding food assistance deliveries,\u201d food availability in 2024 is expected to be below average due to \u201cbelow-average domestic cereal harvests, low opening food stocks, [and] significantly below-average wheat import volumes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mid-December, battles near Wad Madani<\/a>, capital of El Gezira, forced nearly 15,000 people to flee the besieged city. These battles, which spread to Sennar<\/a>, White Nile state<\/a>, and Kordofan region<\/a>, \u201cinterrupted main season harvesting of sorghum and millet, worsening already below-average expectations for the national cereal harvest,\u201d reported FEWS NET.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe fighting has also interrupted the cultivation of winter wheat in the El Gezira irrigation scheme, which typically accounts for 40 to 50 per cent of total wheat production, and damaged critical irrigation infrastructure.\u201d On October 26, the El Gezira and El Managil Farmers Alliance warned of a significant decline in the production of sorghum in 2023 due to a lack of sufficient irrigation<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalami in the Nuba Mountains, South Kordofan, is experiencing a severe shortage of sorghum, journalist Abdelrahim Kunda told Radio Dabanga last week. The market is reportedly \u201cdevoid of anything for sale.\u201d A large number of the town\u2019s residents complained that they had been without food for two days.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The harvest of sorghum in Dalami was extremely poor last year due to the lack of rain, the destruction of crops by locusts and birds, delayed agricultural funding, and the \u201csheer unpredictable security situation,\u201d said Kunda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After having toured the area<\/a> between Dalami and Kartala in neighbouring Habila locality, he said he fears that \u201cthe predictions by international organisations about a famine <\/a>in Sudan are true\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FEWS NET also reported that: \u201cAccording to the Ministry of Agriculture, total official wheat imports in 2023 reached only half of what is typically imported and only one-third of estimated demand due to declining government revenue and shocks to the supply chain.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December, the early warning food insecurity monitor warned that food insecurity outcomes<\/a> were expected to be \u201catypically elevated and rising\u201d in 2024. Widespread crisis outcomes are expected across most of the country, with emergency outcomes persisting through May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FEWS NET noted that the displaced will be the worst affected. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the war has led to more than 10.7 million people displaced<\/a> inside and outside of Sudan. <\/p>\n