WFP Calls for Urgent Access to Preposition Food in Sudan as Rainy Season Risks Cutting off Roads to Starving

PORT SUDAN, Sudan – The World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently calling for unimpeded access to immediately preposition food assistance across key locations in Sudan, as deliberate obstruction by parties on the ground and the approaching rainy season threaten to render vast areas of the country inaccessible by road. Without swift action, WFP warns that millions of vulnerable people could be cut off from lifesaving aid, placing fragile humanitarian gains at serious risk.

Below is an update on the food security and WFP operations in Sudan. 

Food Security Situation

• Two years of war has turned Sudan into the world’s largest hunger catastrophe and famine is spreading. 
• Nearly half the population – 24.6 million people – face acute hunger. Some 638,000 people face catastrophic hunger (IPC5) – the highest number globally. 
• Famine is confirmed in 10 locations – eight in North Darfur (including Zamzam Camp) and two in the Western Nuba Mountains. It was first confirmed in Zamzam camp in August 2024. 
• Another 17 areas – including areas of North, South and East Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, Khartoum and Gezira – are at risk of famine.
• In the hardest-hit areas, 1 in 3 children are acutely malnourished, surpassing famine thresholds.

WFP Operations

• WFP is providing food and nutrition assistance to over 3 million people each month and is pushing to expand this to 7 million people per month by mid-year.
• The organization managed to deliver food assistance in recent months to previously cut-off areas including in greater Khartoum, Gezira State, Darfur and the Kordofan Regions, some of which had not received any food since the start of the war.
• WFP assistance helped to reduce the risk of famine in six areas in Central Darfur and two areas in West Darfur – where nearly 1 million people have received regular WFP food or cash aid since June 2024.
• Over 66 million pounds of food assistance were transported into Darfur via the reopened Adre border crossing since August 2024, but families are still facing emergency levels of hunger. 
• WFP is working to preposition food supplies, which requires more storage capacity in key locations across Darfur to reach famine or famine-risk communities faster. 

Access Challenges 

• Access remains the biggest challenge to humanitarian operations which are being deliberately obstructed by parties to the conflict.
• WFP is urgently calling for access to be able to preposition food assistance in locations across the country, particularly in Darfur. Many routes will become impassable during the rainy season and communities will be cut off.
• Ongoing fighting in and around El Fasher is restricting access and endangering humanitarians. In February, WFP was forced to suspend operations in Zamzam IDP Camp due to more violence. We are working with partners to resume as soon as possible.
• Bureaucratic delays, extortion and the denial of movement for humanitarian staff continue to cripple the response.

Regional Impact

• Over a million people have fled to South Sudan since the Sudan war began. WFP provides new arrivals in South Sudan with fortified biscuits or hot meals, a one-time food or cash ration, and nutrition support for children and mothers at border areas. 
• Chad hosts almost 1 million refugees and returnees from Sudan since the start of fighting two years ago and WFP has assisted 1 million refugees, returnees, and hosts since the civil conflict in Sudan began.

Funding

• WFP urgently needs $650 million to continue operations in Sudan for the next six months.
• The organization is asking for flexible funding, which is extremely critical in a complex and ever-changing operational environment like Sudan, so that WFP can quickly adapt to changing dynamics on the ground. 

Package of photos available here.