The government of Sudan through the Ministry of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are calling for investment in Sudan’s agriculture and humanitarian assistance
This follows latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) results for Sudan that projects the country will face famine in the coming lean season. According to the results, 9.8 million people are projected to be acutely food insecure (IPC Phase 3 and above) across the country throughout the lean season from June through September.
More than 20% of Sudan’s population is projected to be facing acute food insecurity starting this month. This is the highest figure reported in the history of the IPC in Sudan. The key drivers of food insecurity in Sudan include floods, recurrent droughts, economic decline, inflation, and displacement because of conflict.
Largest livestock producing countries in Africa
‘‘Sudan, through its Ministry of Agriculture, has as its main objective to combat poverty and avail food for the nation. It also contributes significantly to food security for the region. Such achievements can be attained by intensive investments in agriculture by the support of the government, active organizations, mainly FAO and WFP and other partners,” said Taher Harbi, Minister of Agriculture.
Sudan is highly dependent on agriculture which is the most important economic sector. It is the largest livestock producing countries in Africa and the Arab world, where the livestock sector contributes to the livelihoods of at least 26 million people. Agriculture employs 43% of Sudan’s labour force and accounts for about 30% of GDP.
“Agricultural production promotes livelihoods, save lives and restores livelihoods. Urgent action is needed to safeguard livelihoods and promote recovery through cash interventions, supplementary livestock feeding, and livelihood recovery and farming packages,’’ said Babagana Ahmadu, FAO Representative to Sudan.
“Urgent action is required to save lives and that is our priority as WFP. It’s not just about saving lives; it’s about changing lives. All partners – UN, INGOs, Government, and private sector, including potential investors, must come together to reduce food insecurity in the country so we can reach zero hunger by 2030,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP Representative and Country Director in Sudan.
