The Looming Threat of Hunger in Sudan

In the Darfur region of Sudan, an escalating conflict has drastically limited access to crucial resources such as food and healthcare, resulting in a dire humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies are raising the alarm about the worsening conditions, compounded by ongoing hostilities. The region’s already precarious healthcare system is being compromised, leaving civilians without essential needs like clean water, sustenance, and medical support. This situation raises concerns about a potential resurgence of civil war.

Eddie Rowe, the World Food Programmes country director for Sudan, emphasised the severity of the crisis. “Increasing numbers of people are struggling to have even a basic meal each day, and unless there are changes, there’s a very real risk they won’t be able to manage even that,” Rowe expressed.

Sudan, once referred to in the 1970s as the breadbasket of the region, possessed vast lands and copious water resources, fostering expectations for significant agricultural production. The nation was considered pivotal in decreasing reliance on food imports and addressing food embargoes, particularly in Arab nations. However, the emphasis on profit-focused economic policies by successive governments has played a role in Sudan’s current socio-economic challenges.

According to a study by the U.S.-based International Food Policy Research Institute, 73% of agrifood processing and manufacturing businesses have halted operations, either permanently or temporarily, due to the conflict.

The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, has intensified. The strife is not only affecting the capital, Khartoum, but also Darfur, where the conflict has become intercommunal. The Committee of the Sudanese Doctors Syndicate has warned of an “imminent catastrophe” in Darfur, a region already weakened by previous conflicts and now struggling with a lack of basic necessities.

Complicating the humanitarian aid situation are accusations against both the RSF and the army who are pawns in a chess game for international governments. There are reports of widespread looting of aid group offices and warehouses, with the RSF often being the prime suspect. Moreover, there are concerns regarding the redirection of medical supplies from civilians to military hospitals.

The international response to the Sudanese crisis has been significant, with the United Nations identifying it as one of the world’s most severe displacement crises, requiring $4.1 billion in aid. Even prior to the current conflict, nearly a third of Sudan’s population was facing hunger, with Darfur experiencing the highest level of food insecurity in the country.

“The situation has escalated to worrying heights, with reports of deaths from starvation or malnutrition in central Darfur and parts of Khartoum”, as confirmed by Rowe in a recent interview.

There is a pressing need for reformation in Sudan through an alternative system that prioritises the well-being of its people. This reformation is not only essential for resolving the current humanitarian crisis but also for the long-term betterment of Sudan, ensuring that the nation can once again utilise its vast resources for the benefit of its population.

W.R.