SW News: As Sudan struggles with violence and economic collapse, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has issued a dire warning over the country's growing food crisis.
There are 20.3 million people in Sudan who are severely undernourished, a number that has nearly doubled since last year. It is estimated that 42% of the population endures high levels of acute food insecurity, exacerbated by disruptions in the market and skyrocketing food prices, which hinder access to essential goods and services.
The latest Integrated Food Security Phases analysis shows the common standards for classifying food severity. The situation is critical with 14 million people facing a ‘crisis’ and over six million people, around 13% of the population, are now one step away.
Some of the worst-hit areas include Khartoum, South, and West Kordofan, as well as Central, East, South, and West Darfur.
Malnutrition and food insecurity have been made worse by the ongoing displacement of over four million people as well as the destruction of vital infrastructure. The FAO issued a warning that inadequate funding continues to thwart humanitarian attempts to address the problem.
The UN agency has urgently requested an additional $65 million in financing to support farmers in getting ready for the forthcoming planting season and help over six million people.
The UN food organization raised alarm about the predictions with an estimated 15 million people expected to experience a food crisis over the period from October 2023 to February 2024.
The fight between Sudan's armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been going on since mid-April and has resulted in displacement, deaths, injuries, and a developing humanitarian crisis. Over four million people have been displaced by the conflict, the majority of whom are in Sudan itself, UN agencies announced this week.
OCHA, the UN Agency for humanitarian affairs, issued a warning on Wednesday that the rate of starvation and displaced people as a result of the fighting is out of control.
The UN Mission in Sudan, UNITAMS, said in a statement on Thursday that civilians are suffering greatly as a result of violence in Darfur between the RSF, which is supported by Arab militias, and the Sudanese Army.
The delegation sharply denounced the RSF and affiliated militias' indiscriminate shooting of civilians and public buildings from July 24 to July 26 in the West Darfur community of Sirba.
UNITAMS expressed concern over similar instances in Nyala, South Darfur, and Zalingei, Central Darfur. It demanded that the parties to hostilities halt all military activities immediately and restart the negotiations taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  The Mission reaffirmed its dedication to aiding efforts for a peaceful settlement of the dispute.