In April 2023, violent conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in the capital city, Khartoum, eventually ripping through the entire country. Three years on, Sudan is facing what is now verifiably the largest humanitarian crisis and the largest displacement crisis globally.
Humanitarian needs continue to rise as the conflict persists. In 2026, 33.7 million people require assistance - the highest number globally, and 3.3 million more than in 2025. Today, 41 percent of the population is acutely food insecure, with Famine confirmed in multiple areas and millions more at risk.
Agriculture, which employs two-thirds of the population, has been decimated: critical infrastructure destroyed, food stocks looted and fields and markets rendered inaccessible. As the main planting season approaches in June, the window to recover national cereal production and prevent further deterioration is closing fast.
Here are five things you should know about the impact of the conflict on food security and agricultural livelihoods in Sudan:
1. Millions are trapped in a hunger cycle - and the 2026 planting season is at risk
Across the country, many women struggle to feed their families as the food insecurity crisis deepens. ©Mohamed Ahmed.
The ongoing conflict has left millions trapped in a cycle of acute hunger. Over the past three years, the share of people facing acute food insecurity has fluctuated between just under half and over half of the population.
Since September 2025, Famine conditions have been confirmed in El Fasher town, North Darfur and the besieged town of Kadugli, South Kordofan. Millions more are at immediate risk of Famine in 20 areas across Darfur and Kordofan - regions where access is limited.
Children haven't been spared. Over 4.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished, including 800 000 who face severe malnutrition.
FAO is scaling up its response to deliver lifesaving emergency agriculture assistance, with the aim of ensuring that farmers don't miss the critical 2026 main planting season. Supporting farming activities at key moments of the agricultural calendar is vital to protect livelihoods, restore food production and prevent further deterioration in food security and malnutrition.
2. Funding shortfalls have left the country at a crossroads
FAO Representative Hongjie Yang speaks with farmers and community leaders, discussing production levels and post-harvest handling. © FAO/Shuaib Shamrouk
Hunger levels have skyrocketed, needs continue to rise, and yet, humanitarian funding is increasingly limited. Over the past few years, the humanitarian sector has faced a steady decline in financial support given to reduce needs and address the causes and impacts of hunger.
As a result, humanitarian actors have been forced to adopt a prioritization approach, targeting the most vulnerable. The 2026 Sudan Humanitarian and Needs Response Plan calls for $2.9 billion, including approximately $645 million for food security and livelihood assistance to reach 11.4 million people. This marks a sharp reduction from 2025, when $4.1 billion was requested, including $1.54 billion for food security and livelihoods to reach 16.5 million people. The 2025 Plan was only 40 percent funded. As of April 2026, the 2026 Plan is only 16.2 percent funded.
FAO has launched its Emergency and Resilience Plan 2026-2028 to address immediate needs while supporting long-term recovery and resilience. In 2026, FAO requires $99 million to support 1.5 million households with comprehensive livelihood packages, including seeds, tools and fertilizers. To date, the Government of Italy has contributed $5 million to these efforts. No other funding has so far been received.
While parts of the country have seen modest agricultural recovery, millions remain trapped in crisis conditions. Fragile gains in food production risk disappearing without sustained, predictable investment.
3. National crop production is under significant pressure
Farmers gather rice panicles into bundles before lifting them toward the threshing machine. © FAO/Shuaib Shamrouk.
Conflict, displacement and the impacts of economic and climate shocks have left the country far from self-sufficient. FAO estimates cereal production for the 2025/26 season at 5.2 million tonnes, representing a 22-percent decline compared to 2024 and 19 percent below the five-year average.
In 2025, FAO's main season seed campaign contributed an estimated 22 percent of national sorghum production, valued at approximately $515 million. These efforts must be sustained and scaled up.
Without time-sensitive emergency agricultural support, farmers risk missing the critical planting window, resulting in reduced harvests and increased vulnerabilities.
Acting now will make the difference.
4. Livestock are a lifeline - and need more investment
Livestock in visibly poor health conditions due to disrupted veterinary services and feed shortages caused by the conflict. © FAO/Abdirahman Issack
The livestock sector, with an estimated 115 million head of cattle, sheep, goats and camels, has suffered immense damage and losses since the conflict began. Impacts include reduced vaccination coverage, increased disease outbreaks, herd depletion, reduced access to grazing areas and water sources, and market constraints.
For rural communities, animals are more than a source of food or income - they are a lifeline. Livestock provide nutrition, particularly for children, underpin food security and resilience, and sustain livelihoods and ways of life for millions of people across Sudan.
Since the start of the conflict, FAO has vaccinated 7.3 million animals nationwide, benefiting 530 000 households (2.6 million people), including 3.6 million animals vaccinated since November 2025 benefitting 105 000 households. FAO estimates that these interventions helped prevent the loss of 82 million litres of milk, equivalent to providing approximately 754 000 children under five with a daily cup of milk for a year.
However, with only approximately 6 percent of the national herd reached, these efforts have so far only scratched the surface of what is needed.
5. The crisis risks becoming forgotten
A young student from the Women's Rural School examines the sorghum field, learning firsthand how improved seeds contribute to better yields. © FAO/Shuaib Shamrouk.
It is a difficult reality that the world faces multiple crises at any given time, all vying for our attention. However, as other crises command headlines, the suffering of Sudan's people must not be ignored or forgotten.
Humanitarian funding is shrinking, yet the drivers of the world's largest food security crisis persist. Conflict, displacement and economic pressures continue to fuel unprecedented levels of hunger and humanitarian need.
Restoring and sustaining agricultural production remains one of the strongest defenses against hunger and malnutrition. Emergency agricultural assistance is cost-effective, impactful and exactly what affected communities are calling for: the means to meet their own needs, remain in their homes where possible and shape their own recovery.
Between March and December 2026, FAO plans to reach 7.5 million people with time-critical assistance across Sudan. The Organization urgently seeks $75 million to bolster food production, protect livestock and help the agriculture sector recover before conflict erases the gains sown by generations.
