Rome: The escalating violence in Sudan, which has been persisting for over 15 months now, has severely impeded humanitarian access and pushed parts of North Darfur into IPC Phase 5 – the worst form of famine, notably the Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.
In a recent analysis conducted by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) and the Sudan IPC Technical Working Group (TWG), the Famine Review Committee (FRC) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) concluded that famine conditions are prevalent in parts of North Darfur, including the Zamzam camp south of El Fasher.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee (FRC) conclusively found that famine conditions are ongoing in the Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp which hosts 500,000 IDPs outside of El Fasher town in Darfur. “In Zamzam camp, in July, the FRC finds it plausible that Famine (IPC Phase 5) is ongoing. In Zamzam camp, in the August to October projection period, the FRC finds it plausible that Famine (IPC Phase 5) will persist,” the Committee stated. It noted that the scale of devastation brought by the escalating violence in El Fasher town was “profound and harrowing”. Persistent, intense, and widespread clashes forced many residents to seek refuge in IDP camps, where basic services are scant or absent, compounding the hardship of displacement.
“Around 320,000 people are believed to have been displaced since mid-April in El Fasher. Around 150,000 to 200,000 of them are believed to have moved to Zamzam camp in search of security, basic services, and food since mid-May. The camp population has expanded to over half a million in a few weeks,” the Review Committee reported.
In response to alarming new findings confirming famine conditions in parts of Darfur, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, rapid scale-up of life-saving food, nutrition and cash assistance as well as the emergency agricultural aid.
“This is critical in conflict-affected areas to address immediate needs and avert the risk of famine from increasing and affecting other locations across Sudan,” FAO stated today.
Sudan is engulfed in an unparalleled food security crisis, facing the worst levels of hunger ever recorded by the IPC in the country, as well as the world’s largest internally displaced crisis. A staggering 755,000 people are currently facing catastrophic levels of acute hunger (IPC Phase 5) – the worst form of hunger – while a total of 25.6 million people are experiencing high levels of acute hunger (IPC Phases 3 and above).
“We are witnessing horrific famine conditions in parts of North Darfur and an increasing risk of famine in other settlements and conflict-affected areas, especially in Darfur, South Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazirah,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. “We have been raising the alarm about this looming catastrophe, yet due to the ongoing conflict and limited humanitarian access, these communities are still not getting the immediate support they need. We need urgent, concerted action to prevent an even greater catastrophe from unfolding. Famine can be halted, but the immediate cessation of hostilities is an essential first step. Peace is a prerequisite for food security, and the right to food is a basic human right”.
Sudan is highly dependent on agriculture, with nearly 65 per cent of its population engaged in the sector. And it is this sector, rural livelihoods and agrifood systems that are on the front line of the conflict, suffering severe damage and disruption – with cascading and worrying consequences for food security and nutrition.
The situation is likely to be further exacerbated by above-average rainfall and higher-than-average temperatures predicted across southern and central states in Sudan due to the projected La Niña conditions from August–September. The potential flooding may increase the risk of additional crop and livestock losses, while limited humanitarian access is worsening the food supply and increasing the risk of severe starvation, FAO warns.
FAO and partners are leading multi-sectoral efforts to prevent an escalation of famine conditions across the country. While scaling up life-saving food and cash assistance is crucial for those facing severe food shortages, FAO said this alone cannot fill the gaps caused by decreased local food production. FAO is distributing seeds to 1.2 million farming households for the main planting season, which began in June 2024. The campaign focuses on distributing seeds to around 6 million people across the country, including Al Jazirah, Blue Nile, White Nile, the Greater Darfur and Kordofan regions where food insecurity levels are highest. If FAO’s seeds campaign is fully implemented, it will allow farmers to produce a projected harvest of 2.4 to 3.6 million tonnes of sorghum grain.
Critical livestock, fisheries and social protection interventions also remain heavily underfunded. FAO said it is providing vital veterinary services and plans to provide emergency livestock and fishery supplies, which is crucial for preserving the primary source of nutrition and income for millions, mitigating soaring malnutrition rates among children and stabilizing livelihoods amidst the escalating crisis.
So far in 2024, FAO and its partners have vaccinated more than 2.7 million animals against common livestock diseases, reaching over half a million pastoral and agropastoral households. A further 2.5 million animals are targeted to receive veterinary support during the winter season (November to February) benefiting a total of 170,000 households.
Urgent, scaled-up action is immediately needed not only to reverse the shocking famine conditions in Darfur but also to support acutely food-insecure communities across Sudan. Immediate needs must be met and their livelihoods strengthened to build resilience in the face of conflicts, climate and economic shocks, preparing them for whatever lies ahead. “The international community cannot wait for famine declarations, rather it must act at scale and with urgency when based on warnings as a trigger for action,” FAO stated.
– global bihari bureau
