♦ News you might have missed this week ♦

A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's highlights of the news from Darfur and Sudan

♦ El Niño effect on livestock may lead to more food insecurity in Sudan

November 29 – 2015 KHARTOUM The below-average rainfall across many of Sudan’s traditional rain-fed areas during the June-October rainy season has resulted in limited pasture and water availability and an increased risk of animal diseases.

Findings from a recent Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) livestock assessment conducted in 72 Sudanese localities found that smallholder pastoral families in Darfur, West and South Kordofan, Kassala, Red Sea and El Gedaref states are among those at greatest risk of livestock losses due to El Niño weather patterns.

This may increase food insecurity in these areas, especially among the poor smallholder families who rely on livestock for their food and income, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan reported in its latest weekly bulletin.

In response, FAO is seeking $4 million to assist 92,000 families (about 520,000 people) in Sudan who are facing increased risk of food insecurity and malnutrition because of El Niño’s impact on livestock.

The funding appeal is a part of the 2015 Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan, however, interventions will continue to be needed in January-April next year. With these funds, families will be provided with animal feed, water access, and vaccination and treatment services to enable them to keep their animals healthy, and ensure that families have access to meat and milk during the winter season.

Healthy animals produce up to 60 percent more meat and milk for vulnerable families, according to FAO. The sale of surplus meat and milk is also an important source of income that helps rural families meet their basic needs. Supporting vulnerable families to pursue their livelihoods is an important way to mitigate the impacts of the rainfall shortage and to avoid increased food insecurity over the 2016 lean season.

According to the UN Environment Programme (Unep) 2012 report 'On the Hoof', livestock accounts for more than 60 percent of Sudan’s agriculture contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.

♦ Sudanese protest against gold exploration quelled

1 December – 2015 SUDARI  Agents of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) barred a group of North Kordofani activists from delivering a memorandum to the Commissioner of Sudari locality on Monday and detained one of the protesters.

In the memorandum, the activists protest against the confiscation of lands owned by North Kordofani citizens by a number of gold exploration companies.

Protester Tirab Mohamed El Nur was detained during the attempt to submit the memo, and charged of disturbing the public order and causing chaos.

He told Radio Dabanga from the NISS detention centre in Sudari town that a number of gold exploration companies affiliated with government officials have taken over vast areas of land belonging to Kordofanis without any form of compensation.

“Those companies have obtained millions of pounds from the sweat of Kordofani workers who had to dig the soil from which the gold is extracted,” the activist said. “In addition, carcinogens have been used during the exploration which threaten the lives of thousands of people in Sudari.”

Eight other news highlights:

Dozens of students injured, held in Sudan’s El Gezira Aba

November 30 – 2015 EL GEZIRA ABA Dozens were injured on Sunday in clashes between protesting students and militant student members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of the Imam El…

Rabid camel kills two girls in Darfur's Jebel Marra

November 27 – 2015 MASHROU ABU ZEID Two girls have been killed by a rabid camel in East Jebel Marra. Many residents are concerned about the spread of rabies among animals in the area. A witness…

Darfur court sentenced to death 18 fighters

November 27 – 2015 EL FASHER A special court for crimes in Darfur sentenced eighteen defendants to death on Thursday, for their involvement in clashes with the Sudanese armed and paramilitary…

South Darfur farm clashes: one farmer killed, others wounded

November 27 – 2015 GIREIDA A farmer was shot dead in Gireida, South Darfur, by armed herders on Thursday. A joint security force chasing the perpetrators was forced to return by militiamen…

Soldiers clash in Darfur: seven killed, “tensions high”

November 26 – 2015 KHAZAN TUNJUR Seven Sudanese soldiers were killed in clashes in Khazan Tunjur in Darfur on Wednesday, and four soldiers sustained injuries. Three lieutenants were…

Eastern Sudan reports spread of tuberculosis

November 26 – 2015 KASSALA A report by the state government concluded that there is a high rate of tuberculosis cases in Kassala in eastern Sudan. During the past few years, the number has risen to…

Khartoum, rebels accuse each other of aid delivery abuse

November 26 – 2015 KHARTOUM The delegations of the Sudanese government and the armed movements accused each other of being responsible for the failure of the peace negotiations…

Sudanese security detains three NCF leaders

November 25 – 2015 KHARTOUM Agents of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrested three leaders of the National Consensus Forces (NCF), an alliance of Sudanese…

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