Over 18 Million People Likely to Face “Acute” Food Insecurity: UN

IDPs gather to receive food provided by the WFP during a visit by a EU delegation at an IDP camp in Azaza east of Ad Damazin Bblue Nile state October 21 2015. Reuter photo

April 6, 2022 (NEW YORK) – More than 18 million people are likely to be affected by localized dry spells and crop failure, conflict and the economic crisis and need urgent humanitarian assistance, a United Nations official said Tuesday.

Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expect the number of people in Sudan facing acute food insecurity to nearly double by September this year.

Last year, he said, 9.8 million people in Sudan faced acute food insecurity.

“Crop and livestock production has dropped by up to half in 14 states across Sudan when compared to the last five-year average,” noted Haq.

“The domestic cereal production can only cover the needs of less than two-thirds of the population, leaving many reliant on humanitarian food assistance,” he added.

The UN deputy spokesperson cited the Ukraine conflict as causing further spikes in food prices, further stressing that the price of wheat had skyrocketed by 180 percent compared to the same period last year.

“Our partners are appealing for more than 1.9 billion U.S. dollars to help 14.3 million people in Sudan this year,” he stressed, adding, “To date, the plan is 9 percent funded.”

He, however, said humanitarian partners of the UN were able to reach more than 8.1 million people with life-saving assistance, including food, livelihood, clean water, and healthcare, despite limited funding.

(ST)