Looming food crisis in Blue Nile, S Kordofan

At least 235,000 people affected by the food shortage, says UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Food reserves in the Sudanese states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan might decline severely, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicted on Thursday.In a statement released on Wednesday, the FAO stressed on the need for urgent attention to the looming food crisis in the southern states of Sudan. “At least 235,000 people in both areas need help,” the FAO announced.

The food crisis comes in the backdrop of intense fighting between government forces and the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in these states. While the offensive in South Kordofan began in June, the fighting in Blue Nile broke out in September.

Apart from the fighting, low rainfall has affected crop cultivation in the sorghum-producing states. “In South Kordofan, people fled at the start of the planting season, so were unable to sow seeds. In Blue Nile, fighting erupted later in the season so seeds were planted but people were forced to abandon their crops,” the FAO said.

With the non-availability of staple food stuffs like sorghum, food prices are expected to increase sharply, leading to starvation. “All international aid agencies have been barred from Blue Nile, so the true scale of the situation there is unknown. FAO is seeking some $3.5 million for its operations,” the organization said.