Rural families in Sudan are facing increased risk of food and nutrition insecurity due to poor crop growth and pasture conditions caused by rainfall shortages and delays over this year’s rainy season, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) new assessment report on crop performance and livestock health in Sudan.

FAO’s recent assessment indicates below-average rainfall between June–September across many of Sudan’s key traditional rain fed agricultural areas. This has resulted in delayed planting, poor crop growth and pasture conditions in many regions, with increased risk of crop failures and low production surpluses anticipated for the 2015/2016 harvest period. The Greater Darfur region and West and South Kordofan are among the areas most at risk of crop failure and livestock issues. Crop and livestock failures will lead to significant decreases to food availability and increased food and nutrition insecurity, especially among small-scale farmers and pastoralists who make up the bulk of Sudan’s rural poor.

As part of Sudan's Humanitarian Response Plan 2015, FAO is seeking USD 6 million to enhance the resilience of 125,000 extremely vulnerable farming and pastoralist families (750,000 people) who are affected by the rainfall shortage. The response will provide families with vegetable and legume seeds, tools, planting support, livestock fodder and vaccination services to enable families to grow more food during the winter farming season and meet their nutrition needs despite drought-like conditions.

“Ensuring the availability of local nutritious food and income-generating opportunities is the best way to save the lives of rural families who have been the hardest hit by the rainfall shortage in Sudan,” says Rosanne Marchesich, FAO Representative a.i. in Sudan. “Support for the winter farming season is an important way to mitigate the impacts of the rainfall shortage on vulnerable families in Sudan by strengthening their ability to adapt and keep growing food and producing livestock. Without support now, farmers will not be able to meet their food needs and food insecurity in Sudan will get worse.”

The winter farming season runs approximately from November 2015 – March 2016, and provides an important opportunity for small-scale farmers and herders to increase food availability, nutrition and income during a critical time. Vegetable and legume seeds can produce 3 to 5 months of locally available nutrient-rich food. Local production of fodder for livestock and scale-up of vaccination services will also help to address the poor pasture conditions and increased disease risk that herders are facing in the Greater Darfur region and West and South Kordofan. Healthy animals produce 60% more meat and milk for vulnerable families. The sale of surplus vegetables, legumes, meat and milk is also an important source of income that helps rural families meet their basic needs.

Since June, El Nino has been a major driver of below-average rainfall experienced across Sudan. The assessment was completed for 80 localities, with data collection led by state ministries with FAO field offices and covering rainfall up to September 10, 2015. FAO will continue to monitor the situation closely and will publish regular updates on crop performance and livestock health over the coming months in order to support the implementation of targeted and timely responses to the rainfall situation.