One third of Sudan’s population, or 15 million people, are facing a very acute food insecurity, according to a new assessment released on Thursday by the World Food Programme (WFP). FAO and WFP are calling for urgent action
KHARTOUM June 18: The Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment (CFSVA) shows that the combined effects of economic and political crises; conflict and displacement; climate shocks; and a poor harvest in the past agricultural season are among the key drivers of the emergency.
As millions of people are being “pushed deeper into hunger and poverty”, Eddie Rowe, WFP Representative and Country Director in Sudan, drew attention to another challenge.
“Funding levels are not matching the humanitarian needs and we must act now to avoid increasing hunger levels and to save the lives of those already affected,” he warned.
The assessment projects that the situation is likely to worsen throughout the country’s lean season, which started this month and will continue through September.
By that time, up to 40 per cent of the population, or around 18 million people, may slip into food insecurity, which WFP and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) had warned of earlier this year.
An earlier WFP and FAO assessment on agricultural production, released last March, revealed that poor harvests in many parts of Sudan negatively affected food availability and livelihood opportunities.
To address the sharp rise in food insecurity, FAO and WFP are calling for urgent action, including increased funding, in order to save lives and prevent a looming hunger crisis in Sudan.
Image: UN Photo/Isaac Billy
