$20 million UN grant for food security in Sudan

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Khardiata Lô N’Diaye, has announced a grant of $20 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)* for Sudan. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will receive US$12 million, the UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) $7 million, with the World Food Programme (WFP) receiving $1 million to provide logistic support.

FAO and WFP said in a statement in March that the combined effects of conflict, economic crisis, and poor harvests are significantly affecting people’s access to food across Sudan. This could potentially double the number of people facing acute hunger in Sudan by September 2022.

“This grant will allow the procurement and distribution of seeds, provide critical nutrition and WASH services and support crop protection committees to farmers in Darfur,” Humanitarian Coordinator Khardiata Lô N’Diaye says in a statement from Khartoum today.

‘This is a race against time to ensure that hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan are protected from acute food insecurity in the months ahead…’

“This is a race against time to ensure that hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan are protected from acute food insecurity in the months ahead,” she added.

In her statement, Lô N’Diaye calls on the government of Sudan “to facilitate the provision of agricultural inputs – fuel, fertilisers and extension services – for all producers”. She urges peace to prevail and “the government to uphold the peace and security to ensure a successful agricultural season so people can rely on their own food production this and next year as global food supply faces major challenges and humanitarian funding for food support is limited”.

Last week, Lô N’Diaye reiterated the commitment of humanitarian partners to support thousands of people displaced by violence in parts of Kereinik and El Geneina, after her visit to El Geneina, capital of West Darfur. “Humanitarian partners will continue to provide humanitarian assistance and support thousands of people who were displaced by violence and insecurity in parts of West Darfur over the past few weeks,” she said.

 Lô N’Diaye, accompanied by the heads of UNICEF, OCHA, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), representatives from the WFP, and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) visited a gathering site in El Geneina hosting some of the people who were displaced from Kereinik since April, and a group of nomads outside of El Geneina town where they interacted with people displaced and affected by the conflict, and heard their stories.

Food insecurity

Last month, Amid Sudan’s recent inflation of the Sudanese Pound (SDG), the WFP reported that the national average retail price of food in Sudan has significantly increased, making “nutritious food unaffordable for many families”.

The WFP said that the average retail price of sorghum in Sudan during March was SDG198 per kilo, marking a sharp rise of 20 per cent compared to February. While the price of wheat flour stood at SDG681 pounds per kilo, a marked increase of 14 per cent compared to the previous month. The average price of a goat SDG18,958 per head was down slightly by 1.33 per cent, compared to the previous month. The price of peanuts reached SDG11,548 per sack, representing a significant increase of 14 per cent, compared to the previous month.

The WFP stated, “the average cost of the WFP domestic food basket rose to SDG349.93, a sharp increase of nearly 20 per cent, compared to the previous month”.

As a result of food insecurity and Sudan’s recent economic decline, the prices of crops and foods are expected to increase further during 2022.

*Since its establishment 17 years ago, CERF has been one of the fastest mechanisms for providing emergency funding to people in need, through rapid allocations to new and deteriorating crises, or where funding has fallen short. The fund pools contributions from a range of donors, and resources are allocated on strict life-saving criteria to help the most vulnerable and at-risk populations.

Since 2005, more than 130 Member States, observers, and other donors, including private individuals, have supported the fund with about $7.8 billion.

(Source: OCHA)