Saltar al contenido principal

SKBN Coordination Unit - Humanitarian Update (March 2020) [EN/AR]

Países
Sudán
+ 1
Fuentes
HART
Fecha de publicación

Highlights:

COVID-19 awareness campaign kicks off in the Two Areas.

COVID-19 measures driving returnees and movement of people

Market prices for staple items continue to rise

Poor harvests - households start relying on the markets

Continued increase in people on the move puts pressure on scarce resources

FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURE

Blue Nile

Threshing of the harvest is ongoing and farmers are preparing their fields for the next planting season. However, due to a poor harvest because of previous floods and heavy rain, which destroyed crops, farmers harvested only three to five sacks of sorghum compared to more sacks harvested previously. Reports indicate that the food shortage in the region was exacerbated by food sharing with returnees, immediate families and neighbors. Reports suggest that food stocks will not last until April and, as a result, households with no food stocks have already resorted to sharing with neighbors, depending on markets, and other coping strategies. Many people travel to Maban for their rations.

Despite reports of food insecurity across the region, in Beeh, Benamayu, Challi and Soda, food security was relatively stable (communities depend on their harvests as a source of food). However, this will not sustain people for long and they will rely on markets, which will increase prices and make houses more vulnerable to price changes.

Lemons, mangoes, oranges, water melon and tomatoes were available in the markets. Additionally, in Komo Ganza, communities engaged in selling grass, poles, honey, dry okra, cassava and some wild roots in exchange for food.

UNHCR announced advance food distribution and provided April and May rations at the same time, in order to limit frequency of gatherings and potential spreading of COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, food aid distribution targeted Wadaka payam (8,362 households), which was heavily affected by floods and heavy rain. However, the distribution only covers 25% of Blue Nile. For instance, returnees as well as communities in Amora and Zosko (isolated areas) were not included in the distribution plan.

South Kordofan

Household surveys indicated that there was a poor harvest, which means households are likely to become dependent on the markets before the lean season begins (May – September). In March, the region witnessed movements of people to Ajong Thok for their food rations as a back-up to diminished stocks.

Western Jebel

Because of a poor harvest, 80% of households are dependent on markets as an alternative source of food; however, they may not sustain these purchases for long. As a result, increase in the sale of livestock and exchange for labor as another source of income to buy food has been witnessed. However, with COVID19 measures closing of borders between SPLMN-controlled and government-controlled areas, has posed a challenge to households to access labor, goods and services.