The United Nations warns that without rapid international action, Sudan’s food crisis could become an even graver tragedy as nearly 20 million people, more than 40 percent of the population, face acute hunger.

An assessment by FAO, WFP, and UNICEF based on the latest IPC report estimates 19.5 million people in Sudan are in critical hunger, with 14 areas across Darfur North, Darfur South, and South Kordofan at risk of famine and about 135,000 already experiencing catastrophic hunger.

UN agencies warn that Sudan’s hunger crisis is set to worsen as the rainy season begins, risking deeper shortages and disrupted aid delivery.

The conflict has led to significant displacement and strategic military movements, including the army retaking Kadugli in February and El-Fasher being largely emptied after months of siege, with humanitarians overwhelmed by demand.

The Kordofan region is a particular flashpoint due to fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and government troops, including sieges and blocked aid convoys that worsen shortages.

The IPC emphasizes that ongoing conflict and access restrictions, along with regional price pressures, are driving the severity of the food crisis and necessitating urgent international intervention.

Conditions are expected to deteriorate during the lean season from June to September, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities amid ongoing conflict.

The UN agencies FAO, WFP, and UNICEF call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, alongside a demand for increased international funding for humanitarian aid.

The IPC scenario assumes worsening fighting, new humanitarian access restrictions, and impediments to movement of goods and people, noting that the current figure is slightly below October’s estimate of over 21 million when famine was confirmed in El-Fasher and Kadugli.

Poverty has surged due to the war, with roughly seven in ten Sudanese living on less than $4 per day, and rising prices for food, fuel, and fertilizers exacerbating the crisis amid Middle East tensions.

An estimated 825,000 children under 5 will suffer severe acute malnutrition in 2026, a 7% increase from 2025, according to UNICEF data cited by the IPC; UNICEF warns more children will die without rapid action.