Port Sudan/Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Government of Sudan, has launched the 2025 national livestock vaccination campaign to safeguard livelihoods of over three million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists across the country gripped by a major food crisis.
The initiative which will run from October 2025 through January 2026 aims to protect around 9.4 million animals from highly contagious and deadly transboundary and zoonotic animal diseases, with a particular focus on peste des petits ruminants (PPR), sheep and goat pox (SGP), contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia (CBPP), African horse sickness (AHS), as well as anthrax.
Livestock is the backbone of Sudan's rural economy, providing millions of people with food and nutrition security, income, and livelihoods. Healthy herds are also critical for maintaining the country's position as one of the largest livestock-exporting countries in the region, generating valuable hard currency earnings. The vaccination campaign will generate indirect benefits for domestic and regional consumers of animal protein, as well as livestock service providers across Sudan and in neighbouring Arab and Gulf countries.
"This vaccination campaign comes at a critical time as Sudan faces a worsening food insecurity crisis," said Hongjie Yang, FAO Representative in Sudan. "Protecting animal health is essential not only for safeguarding the livelihoods of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist families, but also for ensuring the availability of milk, meat, and income that millions of people rely on."
"With the support of our partners, we are not only protecting herds, but also strengthening food security and nutrition and the national economy," added Yang.
This vaccination drive is in response to Sudan's deepening food crisis. According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, famine has been confirmed in parts of Sudan, including Zamzam, Abu Shouk and Al Salam camps in North Darfur, and in the Western Nuba Mountains for both residents and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Around 24.6 million people were projected to face Crisis or worse (IPC Phase 3 or above) levels of acute food insecurity, including at least 638,000 people facing Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) through May 2025.
To overcome access constraints, FAO is piloting cross-border vaccine delivery to Darfur and West Kordofan through Chad for the first time, in close collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and FAO Chad. This approach is designed to ensure vaccines reach vulnerable communities in hard-to-access areas.
This vaccination drive has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the European Union (EU), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), FAO's Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), and contributions from other donors.
