The United Nations recently warned of the risk of famine in Sudan. The war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has killed civilians and devastated livelihoods on a massive scale. Around 18 million people are already acutely hungry, including 3.6 million children who are acutely malnourished.
IFPRI Research Fellow Oliver Kiptoo Kirui, who co-authored the recent IFPRI-UNDP Sudan National Household Survey report—conducted in the midst of war—provides insights on the scale of the country’s food emergency.
What’s the food security situation in Sudan?
Acute food security is measured on a widely accepted 5-stage classification. It increases in severity from “minimal” through “stressed”, “crisis”, “emergency,” and “famine”. This scale is intended to help governments and other humanitarian actors quickly understand a situation and take action.