The Norwegian Refugee Council Issues Alert Over Potentially Historic Famine Calamity in Sudan
Major humanitarian groups are sounding the alarm about an impending food crisis in Sudan, using strong terms. "There's no denying it: Sudan is experiencing an unprecedented food shortage," stated the Norwegian Refugee Council in conjunction with its partners. "Toddlers are going hungry."
The council pointed out the continuous engagement in linguistic quibbles and legal nuances, even as lives are being lost.
The criteria for categorizing a famine include, but are not limited to, the loss of four children under 10,000 per day or over 30% of the population being significantly malnourished. In high-conflict zones like Sudan, these conditions are further exacerbated due to limited access for aid workers and a portion of the affected population remaining out of reach.
This process is formally known as the "Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)", a tool used by global organizations like the UN and various development bodies. Since April 2023, power struggles between rival generals in Sudan have led to intense violence, displacing over 10 million people and causing numerous casualties. The turmoil has also drastically impacted food production: fields have been destroyed, mined, or abandoned, livestock have been killed, and farmers have been forced to leave their land.
As per the humanitarian sector, over 25 million individuals - over half the country's population - are struggling to find enough food. Many families are now subsisting on plant leaves and insects, eating just one meal a day. The Norwegian Refugee Council also highlighted the lack of funding, as aid appeals only receive half of their required contributions.
Excluding the debate over linguistic nuances and legal quibbles, the ongoing conflict in Sudan has led to significant limitations in aid access, further exacerbating the food crisis. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, the food crisis in Sudan is so severe that it's not just the elderly and the sick who are affected; excluding these groups, even toddlers are going hungry.
