6-12 September 2026 Sudan News Summary: famine fears following delayed rains and crop failure
Arabic news roundup
By William Greenwood
International and local warnings of a severe famine outbreak in Darfur and Kordofan
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has issued serious warnings regarding a famine outbreak in parts of North Darfur and South Kordofan, while activists have raised the alarm about the same issue in six localities within West Kordofan State.
The harvest season, which begins in October and runs through the end of the year, is typically the period of greatest food availability and is accompanied by lower market prices.
In an update to its food security outlook for Sudan covering the period from August 2026 to January 2027, the network stated that there is a credible risk of famine occurring by next January in seven areas of North Darfur, as well as in Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan.
It noted that these areas are experiencing significant food consumption deficits and rising levels of acute malnutrition, while escalating conflict or the reimposition of sieges combined with marginal or near-total crop failure could trigger a famine.
The network projected that the expansion of fighting in North Darfur, drone strikes, and escalating inter-communal conflicts would restrict population movement, sever trade routes, and undermine support networks; furthermore, attacks on civilians are isolating populations from food, services, and livelihoods, including agriculture.
It added that the combination of intense conflict and climate shocks, resulting in marginal or failed harvests, would keep the risk of famine high even during the harvest season between October and January.
The network explained that this situation would lead to famine in northwestern North Darfur, as well as in areas hosting large numbers of displaced persons.
The network also warned of the potential resumption of sieges on Dilling, Kadugli, and their surrounding rural areas in South Kordofan, which would severely restrict population movement within towns and rural areas, limit farmers' access to their land, and disrupt trade and humanitarian aid.
From: Sudan Tribune
Rainfall scarcity hits Darfur, threatening the agricultural season and food security
Farmers in parts of North, East, and South Darfur are facing difficult agricultural conditions due to a lack of rainfall and dry spells over the past few weeks. This has led to crop failure and the loss of planting efforts, raising concerns about the impact on food security and the livelihoods of thousands of families who rely primarily on agriculture and livestock herding.
Emergency response committees in North Darfur—covering areas such as Kutum, Karnoi, Um Baru, al-Maliha, Mellit, Um Kaddada, al-Laeit Jar al-Nabi, and Tawila—have issued early warnings regarding the rainfall deficit and the prolonged drought affecting cultivated lands, pointing to a likely failure of the agricultural season, necessitating immediate action by responsible authorities and international organisations to avert the situation and address the looming threat of famine.
The scarcity of rain and the prospect of a failed agricultural season are already impacting grain prices; the price of a sack of millet currently ranges between 280,000 and 300,000 Sudanese pounds, while a sack of sorghum costs between 220,000 and 230,000 pounds.
The situation could escalate into an economic disaster if the lack of rain persists and the agricultural season fails, particularly given the severe economic hardship already facing these families.
These concerns arise amidst growing fears that a failed agricultural season in parts of Darfur will cause families to lose their sources of food and income, forcing an increased reliance on markets to purchase grain at a time of soaring prices and diminishing purchasing power.
From: Dabanga