Cairo: Nearly 20 million people in Sudan are continuing to face severe hunger as the country’s ongoing conflict pushes families deeper into hardship and uncertainty, according to a new international food security assessment released this week.
The report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, supported by United Nations agencies and humanitarian organisations, says around 19.5 million people are currently experiencing acute food insecurity across Sudan. This means that more than four out of every ten people in the country are struggling to find enough food to survive each day.
Although the latest figure is slightly lower than estimates recorded last year, aid workers and humanitarian agencies warn that the situation remains extremely dangerous and could worsen again in the coming months.
Sudan has been trapped in a devastating civil conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Since then, the violence has spread across large parts of the country, damaging homes, hospitals, schools, markets, and farms.
The war has also forced millions of people to flee their homes. Humanitarian agencies estimate that around 14 million people have been displaced inside Sudan or have crossed into neighbouring countries seeking safety. Many families are now living in overcrowded shelters, camps, or temporary settlements with very little access to food, clean water, or healthcare.
The new hunger assessment warns that several areas of Sudan remain at risk of famine conditions. Fourteen regions, especially in North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan, are considered highly vulnerable due to ongoing violence and limited humanitarian access.
The report says around 135,000 people are already facing catastrophic levels of hunger, the highest and most severe category on the international food insecurity scale. In these areas, many families are surviving on very little food and are struggling to access even basic necessities.
Aid workers have described heartbreaking conditions in some communities. Families trapped by fighting have reportedly been forced to survive on leaves, animal feed, or leftover scraps from abandoned slaughterhouses. In several regions, people are surviving on just one meal a day as food prices continue to rise sharply.
Children are among the worst affected by the crisis. Humanitarian agencies estimate that more than 800,000 children in Sudan could suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year. Medical experts warn that without urgent treatment many children could face long term health complications or even death.
The collapse of Sudan’s healthcare system has made the situation even more difficult. Many hospitals and health centres have either been destroyed, shut down, or become inaccessible because of the fighting. Aid agencies say only a small number of malnourished children are currently able to receive proper treatment.
Humanitarian organisations are also expressing concern about the approaching rainy season, which usually begins around July. Heavy rains often make roads impassable, cutting off already isolated communities from humanitarian aid deliveries. At the same time, food supplies from previous harvests are running low, raising fears that hunger could spread further across the country.
The security situation has also changed in recent months as drone attacks have become more common in the conflict. According to the United Nations human rights office, hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed in drone strikes since the beginning of this year. Markets, hospitals, power stations, and civilian neighbourhoods have all been affected by the violence.
International aid groups are now calling for immediate humanitarian access, stronger international support, and an urgent ceasefire to prevent the crisis from becoming even worse. Relief agencies warn that without increased funding and safe access for humanitarian workers, millions more people in Sudan could soon face life threatening hunger conditions.