Fourteen months into the conflict, Sudan is facing the worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded by the IPC in the country.

Over half the population (25.6M people) face Crisis or worse conditions (IPC Phase 3 or above) from June to September 2024 – coinciding with the lean season.

755,000 people face Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) in 10 states, including the five states of Greater Darfur as well as South and North Kordofan, Blue Nile, Al Jazirah, and Khartoum states.

8.5M people (18 percent of the population) face Emergency (IPC Phase 4).

There is a risk of Famine in 14 areas – affecting residents, IDPs and refugees – in Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Al Jazirah states and some hotspots in Khartoum, if the conflict escalates further, including through increased mobilization of local militias.

The situation is especially critical for populations trapped in areas affected by direct conflict and/or insecurity and lack of protection, particularly in Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazirah states. 

At least 534,000 IDPs and refugees in conflict-affected localities and states for which data were available (representing around 20 percent of the displaced population in Sudan) will likely face critical or catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 4 or 5). 

The latest findings mark a stark and rapid deterioration of the food security situation compared to the previous IPC update released in December 2023. 

• Increase in the number of people in IPC Phase 3 or above by 45 percent (from 17.7M to 25.6M) in June - September 2024, compared to October 2023 – February 2024.
• Increase in the number of people in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) by 74 percent (+3.6M). 
• Surge in the population in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) from zero to 755,000.

Famine Review

A few weeks after the completion of the Sudan IPC TWG analysis, the IPC Famine Review Committee (FRC) was activated to review the analysis conducted by the Sudan IPC TWG on Zamzam IDP camp. The FRC considered the latest developments, including the escalation of conflict, large-scale displacements, and other contributing factors. The FRC also considered additional evidence up to 24 July 2024, which was not included in the previously conducted analyses.

After a careful review of the IPC analysis conducted by the Sudan IPC Technical Working Group (TWG), and the IPC Compatible analysis carried out by FEWS NET, the FRC finds it plausible that IPC Phase 5 (Famine) is ongoing in July 2024 in Zamzam camp near El Fasher town. The FRC concludes that IPC Phase 5 (Famine) conditions will continue into the August to end of October projection period. While uncertainty remains, the FRC finds that the likelihood of famine remains high in Zamzam camp after October and that many other areas throughout Sudan remain at risk of Famine as long as the conflict and limited humanitarian access continue.

• Restore safe and sustained humanitarian access: Restore safe and sustained humanitarian access to enable rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to the people in need, including through humanitarian corridors to support IDPs, refugees and residents in conflict-affected areas, in particular hard-to-reach urban centres and settlements. Prioritize the opening of all border crossings from neighbouring countries and access routes from Eastern states to and from Khartoum, Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. Ensure minimum security conditions in and around distribution points and health centres, and safeguard supply chain of nutrition supplements and basic medicines to IDPs and refugee camps and urban centres. Negotiate safe routes for the movement of displaced people from the hotspots and besieged areas.

• Provide immediate multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance: Ensure the safe delivery of essential humanitarian supplies, including food or cash, water, and basic services to all the people in need. Increase humanitarian food assistance immediately to reduce food consumption gaps, prevent loss of lives and mitigate the risk of complete collapse of livelihoods in areas facing Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4).

• Restore and scale-up nutrition interventions: Implement blanket supplementary feeding programmes to prevent malnutrition on a large scale among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women. Implement urgent malnutrition treatment, including Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition and Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies services, particularly in Greater Darfur, Kordofan, Al Jazirah, Khartoum, and tri-city areas in Sudan. Ensure the availability of ready-to-use formula for non-breastfed infants and access to safe drinking water for preparation. 

• Restore productive systems and support livelihoods:  Ensure safe zones within farmlands and timely distribution of agricultural inputs to rural areas where conditions are conducive to cultivate, including in Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Al Jazirah and Sennar. 

• Scale-up data collection efforts: Pursue food security data collection surveys in Al Fasher, Khartoum, and other inaccessible hotspots at risk of Famine for real-time monitoring. Scale up nutrition and mortality surveys and screenings in localities with populations in IPC Phase 5, and systematically record information for children aged 6-59 months (exact MUAC measurements, weight, height, age, sex).