Sudan famine response

The humanitarian response in Sudan is severely underfunded, resulting in needs reaching catastrophic levels. South Darfur (SD) hosts 18% (1,812,264) of Sudan's total internally displaced persons (IDPs) with limited humanitarian aid; 95% of IDPs need food, 60% require livelihood support, and 40% need nutrition assistance (IOM, 2024). The June 2024 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report shows a rapid deterioration in food security across Sudan. The situation in SD (with Nyala in IPC4) is expected to worsen over the next 2 quarters, with 36% of the population projected to be in emergency (IPC4) and catastrophic (IPC5) phases. The Sudan Famine Prevention Plan and the FSL cluster identified a need for cash for food, to enable affected hard-to-reach communities avert famine and prevent negative coping mechanisms (selling of assets, reducing the number and portion size of meals, which has severe bearing on nutrition and Dietary Diversity Score, especially among children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW)). The Sudan Nutrition Cluster classifies SD as a high-priority area for nutrition, with 137,497 individuals needing nutrition assistance in Nyala alone (87,053 in Nyala Shimal; 50,444 in Nyala Janoub) and significant gaps in service delivery. CARE’s latest Rapid Gender Analysis (RGA) indicates cash as top priority (57%), linked to the loss of income. Female-headed households (HH) are more vulnerable to food insecurity (42%) compared to male-headed HH (31%) and have a 10% lower food intake. In response to critical needs and gaps, in line with Cluster/Working Group recommendations, CARE and SUDO propose an integrated lifesaving FSL and nutrition intervention. The project, which mainstreams protection, is designed to complement partners’ ongoing programmes targeting the population affected by ongoing conflict, (IDPs and the host community) in Nyala, SD. Synergies with health and nutrition services increase the lifesaving potential of cash assistance.