Sudan’s Darfur and Kordofan Edge Toward Famine as Drought and Conflict Deepen

Recent nutrition surveys across Greater Darfur reveal a deepening crisis. In Eastern Jebel Marra, two displacement camps recorded acute malnutrition rates of 38 % and 30.8 % among children, surpassing the famine threshold. Across the region, 13 of the 17 surveys conducted since January show critical levels of acute malnutrition. In Nyala, the proportion of children seeking nutrition assistance who required treatment for severe acute malnutrition rose from five percent in January to eleven percent by August, more than doubling within eight months. These data signal a rapid deterioration in child health amid ongoing conflict.

The agricultural shock stems from an El Niño‑linked drought now affecting more than half of Sudan’s territory. In North Darfur, 64 % of cropland shows poor plant growth, and the late September rains arrived too late to salvage most cereal crops, prompting expectations of rising grain prices. The drought has stripped families of both food and income, widening the vulnerability gap. In Greater Kordofan, the conflict has displaced over 300,000 people since October 2025, while markets have endured more than 170 airstrikes, looting incidents or armed clashes this year, further disrupting food supplies.

Humanitarian response is hampered by severe funding shortfalls and security risks. As of 8 October, less than half of the Sudan appeal had been financed, limiting the scale of life‑saving interventions. Two World Food Programme trucks were hit by gunfire on 2 and 3 October, killing at least one person and underscoring the danger to aid workers. By August, only 26 % of children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications had received treatment; without care, two‑thirds of these children could die. The IPC’s famine review panel warns that without a large‑scale funding boost and safe, sustained access, the situation could spiral into full famine.