Food and nutrition crisis deepens across Sudan as famine identified in additional areas
Four months after famine was first confirmed in the Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur, Sudan, more areas in North Darfur and the West Nuba mountains have been identified as experiencing famine, as millions across the country are left without food and the nutritional situation continues to worsen, the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF warned today.
The latest Famine Review Committee (FRC)* report and new forecasts from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)* identify famine in at least five areas of Sudan with reliable data – Zamzam in North Darfur; Abu Shouk and Al Salam camps, as well as services for residents and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Famine is also expected to occur in five other regions between December 2024 and May 2025: Um Kadadah, Melit, El Fasher, At Tawisha and Al Lait in North Darfur. The report also highlighted 17 other regions at risk of famine during the same period.
More than 24.6 million people across Sudan (more than half of the population analyzed) are currently experiencing severe acute food insecurity (IPC Stage 3 or above). This includes 8.1 million people in emergency (IPC Phase 4) and at least 638,000 in IPC Phase 5 (disaster).
The findings mark a dramatic escalation in hunger and malnutrition during the typical harvest season, when food supplies are at their highest. The FRC’s classification of increased hunger during this season suggests that harvests are not reaching everywhere as ongoing conflicts limit markets and the movement of goods. Without immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian aid and emergency international support, famine will likely spread further in 2025, threatening the lives of millions of people, mainly children, and exacerbating what is already the world’s worst epidemic. one of the food crises.
Conflict, displacement and restricted humanitarian access remain key drivers of the crisis. Famine was first confirmed in Zam Zam refugee camp in North Darfur in August 2024, and despite the delivery of some humanitarian food aid, the situation remains dire. Ongoing violence and economic hardship have disrupted markets, displaced millions of people and pushed prices of key commodities to levels beyond the reach of most people.
As the next hunger season is expected to begin ahead of incoming rains – the period between harvests when food insecurity typically increases – humanitarian access will be hampered by artificial blockages and logistical challenges. Immediate action to pre-position supply stocks is critical to preventing unprecedented human suffering.
In addition, famine (IPC Phase 5) may already be occurring in areas of intense conflict, including Khartoum and parts of Al Jazeera. However, confirmation cannot be made due to a lack of reliable or recent data from these areas. This highlights the urgent need for further assessment to confirm the extent of the crisis and provide much-needed humanitarian assistance.
The agencies urged the international community to prioritize funding for humanitarian efforts and use diplomatic channels to secure ceasefires and unrestricted access. Parties to the conflict must ensure safe, immediate and unhindered access to IPC Phase 3 and above areas. Without immediate action, the crisis in Sudan is likely to escalate further in 2025, putting millions of people at risk.
“Sudan is experiencing a protracted famine,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, director of food security and nutrition analysis at the World Food Programme. “People are becoming increasingly frail and even dying because they have been living with almost no food for months. WFP is doing everything it can to provide stable, sustained food aid to the hungriest and hardest-to-reach areas of Sudan. As the conflict evolves, we continue to adapt our operations to provide assistance wherever possible, but recent progress has been fragile due to the unstable and dangerous situation on the ground.”
“Ongoing conflict, ongoing displacement and recurring disease outbreaks have created dangerous breeding grounds for malnutrition in Sudan,” said Lucia Elmi, UNICEF Director of Emergency Operations. “Millions of young lives are lost. Up in the air. Providing life-saving therapeutic food, water and medicine can help stop the deadly malnutrition crisis, but we need safe, sustained and unimpeded access to reach the most vulnerable children and save lives.”
UNICEF and WFP continue to increase their humanitarian response in Sudan, focusing on high-risk areas and implementing integrated health, nutrition, water, hygiene, hygiene, social protection and food security interventions.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the World Food Program (WFP).
