ReliefWeb

HIGHLIGHTS

• The government’s Strategic Reserve Corporation has prepositioned 160,151 metric tons (MT) of sorghum in Kassala and North Darfur.

• A joint mission to Otash IDP camp in South Darfur assessed the needs of some 1,200 IDPs from East Jebel Marra.

• UNHCR and COR have distributed non-food items to over 6,300 South Sudanese refugee families in Khartoum.

• Japan donates $1.2 million to assist returnees, South Sudanese refugees, IDPs and host communities.

FIGURES 2018

# people in need in Sudan (2018 HNO) 5.5 million

# people in need in Darfur (2018 HNO) 3.1 million

GAM caseload (2018 HNO) 2.3 million

South Sudanese refugees – total 767,992 Pre-2013 352,462
Post-2013 415,530
(UNHCR 15 March 2018)

Other refugees and asylum seekers UNHCR (31 Jan 2018) 153,620

FUNDING

US$ 1.01 billion $ requested in 2018 19.3 million US$ received in 2018 1.9% funded (FTS, as of 1 April 2018)

Staple food prices continue to increase following removal of wheat subsidies – FEWS NET

In its latest update, FEWS NET reports that despite the above-average 2017/18 harvest, staple food prices continued to increase in Sudan during February 2018. This follows the removal of wheat subsidies and the devaluation of the Sudanese Pound in early 2018.
Retail millet and sorghum prices increased by 20 to 30 per cent between January and February in most markets. On average, current levels of retail staple food prices (sorghum, millet, and wheat) are two to three times higher than last year’s levels and the recent four-year average, according to FEWS NET.

In attempts to control the prices of staple foods and improve market access, the Strategic Reserve Corporation (SRC) of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan (ABS) is pre-positioning and selling subsidized sorghum in parts of Kassala and North Darfur affected by poor rains in 2017, and subsequent poor 2017/2018 harvest. Poor households in parts of Kassala and North Darfur who have been affected by belowaverage rains in 2017 are likely to continue to face Crisis - Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 - levels of food insecurity through May 2018. In response to this, the SRC has prepositioned a total of 160,151 metric tons (MT) of sorghum in Kassala (11,430 MT) and North Darfur (10,930 MT),
FEWS NET says.

Meanwhile, most areas of Sudan, are expected to continue facing Minimal (IPC Phase 1) or Stressed (IPC Phase 2) levels of food insecurity through September 2018, FEWS NET reports. However, most internally displaced persons (IDPs) in areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan and IDPs in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur are likely to continue to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of food insecurity through May 2018. This is mainly due to their displacement, poor harvests or limited agricultural opportunities, and/or very high staple food prices. The food security among IDPs in SPLM-N areas of South Kordofan is likely to deteriorate further to Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels between June and September 2018. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in South Sudan reported in its latest operational update that 1,269 new arrivals from SPLMN areas in South Kordofan were registered in Yida refugee settlement, Unity State (near the border with Sudan) during 1-15 March 2018. This represents 132 per cent increase compared to the same period last year when 545 new arrivals were registered. Food shortage in South Kordofan is the main driver for new arrivals, according to UNHCR.