Aid agencies urge protection of Sudan’s crucial harvest season as hunger crisis looms
A coalition of humanitarian organizations warned that the October 2026–January 2027 harvest period will be decisive for Sudan’s food crisis. They said conflict, displacement, irregular rains and El Niño-related drought threaten crops and incomes. The groups called on warring parties and international actors to shield civilians, infrastructure and food systems while donors maintain aid and livelihood support.
The appeal was issued from Port Sudan on 5 October 2026. It centers on the four months from October 2026 through January 2027, a period that may determine whether hunger conditions worsen in 2027. IPC assessments have identified famine in certain localities during the last two years, while other zones remain at risk; almost 29 million people are acutely food insecure.
Farmers in Darfur, Kordofan, Blue Nile and other conflict-affected states have continued sowing despite violence, displacement and restricted movement. Fields, roads, markets, water and power infrastructure face attacks. Unreliable rain, drought concerns, inflation and currency depreciation raise food, fuel and transport costs, endangering yields and incomes.
If the harvest is disrupted, rural households, traders, women farmers and displaced communities may face higher food prices and lost income. Urban consumers could also feel cost pressures. Sustained aid and functioning local markets may cushion the worst effects, while a lost harvest could deepen food insecurity in 2027. International attention may influence donor decisions and access negotiations.