SKBN Coordination Unit Humanitarian Update (September 2021) [EN/AR]
The early crops failed, leaving a hunger gap. This has depressed agricultural output for many communities throughout Blue Nile, reducing overall potential output for the region. The impact of this will likely be felt throughout 2022. Specifically, in Chali payam, around 60 per cent of households are food insecure. A poor Jibraka harvest coupled with no more food distribution left results in a situation where there is a growing fear of food shortage in the coming months. With few coping strategies available, people are forced to either subsist on wild foods like leaves and roots or resort to traditional gold mining.
Full market functionality was registered in the four major regularly monitored cross-line markets (i.e., Yabus Bala, Moguf, Mayak and Wadaka Balila), despite the ongoing political crisis in neighboring Ethiopia. Local and foreign traders showed up in good numbers in September, however, prices of staples remained high. According to CU reporters, locals were selling the staple sorghum to Ethipian traders; this will affect the food security levels in coming months.
South Kordofan
In Central Region, rainfall conditions improved somewhat during the reporting period.
Weeding and replanting activities are ongoing. However, only 5,600 feddans were ploughed supported by one of the partners due to lack of fuel, labour (instead, farmers are using herbicides to kill weeds) and insecurity in Dallami. Additionally, the Kalkada scheme in Heiban county was not ploughed due to tribal clashes between Tira and Oturo tribes in June. As previously reported in August, the next harvest is likely to be low due to insufficient rainfall during the growing season, with periods of abnormally low rainfall and impact of the recent flooding episodes in Thobo, which damaged some crops and property.
Overall food security improved in Central Region as a result of the jibraka harvest, as well as a third round of food distribution, particlualry in Dalami, Um Ddurain, Thobo, and Western Kadguli (in these locations, each household received 50 kgs of maize, 5g of salt, 5kg of beans and 3 liters of oil). In addition to the above, distribution of seeds was conducted in enclaves of Kua Nyaro and Warni. Cash transfer is ongoing across the region (so far 19,147 households have been covered in Thobo, Lagawa, Habilla, Al Sunut, Kau Nyaro and Warni).
Some monitored markets ( i.e. Buram in Thobo and Undulu in Um Durain counties) closed due to heavy rainfall, resulting in increased prices of food items. On the other hand, in Dallami county, the prices of food items this month is low compared to last month on account of food distribution.
Western Jebel
The jibraka harvest (short-duration sorghum, tamoteos, vegetables, ground nuts etc.) has improved households’ food security. However, continued killing of farmers by Arab raiders has affected activities on far farms, particularly in Dilling and Al Sunut counties — this is likely to affect the next harvest because few farms have been cultivated. In addition, in the last weeks of September, most parts of Western Jebels did not receive sufficient rainfall leading to drying of crops, particularly those on mechanized farms. Farmers have also reported crop diseases and pests.
According to the household surveys, there was an increase in prices of basic commodities due to transport costs to cross-line markets, resulting in low supply. In addition, inflation in Sudan also contributed to increase in prices across Western Jebel region.
Source: Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust