South Darfur’s Kalma camp faces food crisis as rains and crops fail

Half of crops have failed in and around Kalma camp, driving food shortages and soaring prices as humanitarian funding declines…

A shortage of rain has wiped out about half of the crops around Kalma camp for displaced people near Nyala, capital of South Darfur, driving acute food shortages and soaring prices for basic goods, the camp’s leader says. Ishaq Mohamed Abdullah, chairman of the camp for people displaced by Sudan’s war, has issued an urgent appeal for international organisations and donors to intervene as the difficult rainy season begins.

Kalma is facing a severe humanitarian crisis as a result of the poor rainfall, Abdullah tells Radio Dabanga. The failure of about 50 per cent of crops has sharply reduced food supplies, while the prices of staples such as sugar and rice have risen dramatically.

The crisis is being compounded by a decline in humanitarian assistance. Organisations working in the camp are facing major shortages of funding and other support, limiting their ability to provide essential aid as the displaced population and its needs continue to grow.

Existing shelters are also overcrowded and have reached full capacity, Abdullah says, making it increasingly difficult to accommodate additional people in need.

He calls for urgent intervention by international organisations and donors to prevent conditions from deteriorating further, and urges them to provide support to improve living conditions for displaced people.

Abdullah also appeals to camp residents to remain patient and pursue their rights through legal means, warning against violence or taking matters into their own hands.

He highlights the particular needs of young children, older people, and people with disabilities, who require special care, and urges residents to avoid actions that could create further problems inside the camp.

Abdullah’s appeal comes amid reports published today by Radio Dabanga that South Darfur authorities plan to offer people displaced to Nyala from El Fasher ‘voluntary return’ to North Darfur.

Note: This report has been translated from Arabic with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, and subsequently reviewed and adapted by a human editor before publication.