War in Iran Disrupts Humanitarian Assistance for Sudan

 UN News published on 10 April 2026 an update titled "Sudan: 14 Million Displaced; Hunger and Attacks on Health Continue as War Enters Fourth Year."

Some 14 million people, or a quarter of the population, have been forced to flee, with 9 million remaining displaced inside Sudan and 4.4 million as refugees mostly in Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.  In addition, 21 million Sudanese now face acute food insecurity, including 6.3 million in the direst state of food emergency.  Over 40 percent of Sudan's population require urgent health assistance and disease outbreaks are widespread.

Most of the UN agencies have their main logistics hub in the United Arab Emirates.  The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is impacting their ability to respond as humanitarian supply routes have been cut and shipping aid has become slower and more costly.

Another Warning of Possible Starvation in Sudan

 CBS News posted on 25 June 2024 an article titled "Sudan's Raging Civil War Could See 2 Million Starve to Death.  Aid Agency Says 'the World Is Not Watching'" by Sarah Carter.

The International Rescue Committee's country director for Sudan said the war-torn country is on the brink of a "catastrophe of historic scale" and that 2 million people could die of hunger-related causes if the situation does not improve.  

Likely Progression of Starvation in Sudan

 Reuters published on 30 April 2024 a special report titled "As Famine Looms in Sudan, the Hungary Eat Soil and Leaves" by Maggie Michael and El Tayab Siddig.  

Nearly 5 million Sudanese are close to famine as hunger and starvation spread across the country.  Almost 18 million face high levels of acute food insecurity.  The report maps out the progression of food insecurity from February 2023 to September 2024.

Has Sudan Reached the Famine Stage?

 Aljazeera published on 29 March 2024 an article titled "Sudan Slips into Famine as Warring Sides Starve Civilians" by Virginia Pietromarchi.

One year since war broke out in Sudan, the article says that interrupted online remittances, soaring food prices, a reduction in local cereal production, and warring factions preventing the delivery of food aid have put Sudan in the middle of a "humanitarian disaster."  The article quotes experts who predict famine will occur in areas such as Darfur by June of this year.

The United Nations published on 20 March 2024 a press release titled "Conflict Between Warring Parties in Sudan Pushing Millions to Brink of Famine, Top UN Officials Tell Security Council, Warning Entire Generation Could Be Destroyed."

Comment:  Neither the Aljazeera article nor the UN officials argue that famine currently exists in Sudan, although both believe it is likely in the next two to three months.  According to the UN, famine is a technical term that exists when three conditions come together in a specific geographic area such as a region or country.  The conditions are: 

--At least 20 percent of the population in that particular area are facing extreme levels of hunger,

--30 percent of the children in the same place are wasted, or too thin for their height, and

--The death rate has doubled from the average, surpassing two deaths per 10,000 daily for adults and four deaths per 10,000 daily for children.

Sudan's Next Crisis May Be Food Shortages

 Reuters published on 17 July 2023 an article titled "Insight: Fighting in Sudan Leaves Farmers Struggling to Get Crops Planted" by Sarah El Safty, Khalid Abdelaziz, and Nafisa Eltahir.  

Fighting in Sudan between the Sudan Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces is impacting the ability of farmers to plant crops this season and threatens to result in famine.  

Drought Predicted to Worsen in Horn of Africa

 The World Meteorological Organization published on 22 February 2023 an article titled "Another Poor Rainy Season Forecast for Drought Hit Horn of Africa."

Current trends in much of the Horn of Africa are worse than those observed during the drought of 2010-2011.  About 23 million people are now highly food insecure in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.  Eleven million livestock have already died.  Abnormally low rainfall and warmer temperatures are predicted for much of the region.  

Russian Invsion of Ukraine Disrupts African Supply Chains

 The Standard (Kenya) published on 18 November 2022 an article titled "War in Ukraine Has Big Impact on Kenya, Africa" by Protus Onyango.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has driven up prices of energy, fertilizer, and grain and disrupted supply chains across Africa.  Kenyans, for example, have shifted to charcoal from the DRC, South Sudan, and Uganda, which threatens the future of the rainforest.  

Famine Looms in Somalia

 Reuters published on 7 June 2022 an article titled "'Widen Gaze from Ukraine' to Avert Famine in Somalia, UN Agency Warns."

UNICEF warned that famine is about to befall Somalia following four consecutive years of drought in the country.

Russia/Ukraine War Signals Food Crisis in Africa

 Human Rights Watch published on 28 April 2022 an analysis titled "Ukraine/Russia: As War Continues, Africa Food Crisis Looms."

Nigeria receives a fourth of its wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine.  Cameroon, Tanzania, Uganda, and Sudan source more than 40 percent of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine.  The World Food Program warns that if the war lasts beyond April, acute hunger may increase by 17 percent globally with the sharpest increases in east, west, and southern Africa.   

Ukraine War and Drought Causing Food Insecurity in East Africa

 The New York Times published on 1 April 2022 an article titled "War in Ukraine Compounds Hunger in East Africa" by Abdi Latif Dahir.

The war in Ukraine has driven up the cost of food in East Africa where countries depend heavily on grain from Russia and Ukraine.  This is happening at a time of severe drought in some countries.  

Drought Compounds Problems in Horn of Africa

 Foreign Policy published on 18 February 2022 an article titled "'Brink of Catastrophe': Drought Worsens Humanitarian Crisis in East Africa" by Robbie Gramer and Christina Liu.

The Horn of Africa is facing a severe drought that is compounding ongoing humanitarian crises, especially in Ethiopia.  

US Combats Locusts in East Africa

 Borgen magazine published on 19 November 2020 an article titled "The United States' Fight Against Locusts in East Africa" by Domenic Scalora.  

The article reports on US efforts to combat a serious outbreak of locusts in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Chinese Fishmeal Factories Threaten Gambian Food Security

ChinaDialogue published on 28 November 2019 an article titled "Fishmeal Factories Threaten Food Security in the Gambia" by Louise Hunt, a freelance journalist.

Gambia has three majority Chinese-owned fishmeal factories. Annual production from the largest factory accounts for 40 percent of Gambia's entire fish catch in a given year. There are growing calls by Gambians to shut down the fishmeal factories because they are depleating fish populations and threatening the food security of Gambians.

Chinese Agriculture in Africa

The UK International Institute for Environment and Development published in January 2017 a study titled "Chinese Agriculture in Africa: Perspectives of Chinese Agronomists on Agricultural Aid" by Lila Buckley, Chen Ruijian, Yin Yanfei, and Zhu Zidong.

The study presents the views of more than 160 Chinese agronomists who have spent time implementing agricultural aid projects in Africa. Technologies that have worked well in China may not offer the same benefits when transferred to Africa. The local contexts in African countries provide a continuous challenge to even simple technology transfer models. Often the effectiveness of aid depends on the resourcefulness of aid experts and staff on the ground.

Securing Somali Fisheries

Secure Fisheries published on 16 September 2015 a lengthy report titled "Securing Somali Fisheries." It is the most comprehensive study of the Somali fishing sector to date.  It documents the negative impact of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by foreign vessels from many countries on the sustainability and profitability of Somali fisheries.  Fishing vessels from the following countries are believed to be the main offenders: Iran, Yemen, Spain, Egypt, France, Seychelles, South Korea, Taiwan, Italy, and Pakistan. 

The report identifies opportunities for Somalis to combat illegal fishing, protect commercially important stocks, and improve fisheries governance to promote stability and income security.  It also highlights ways for the international community to move away from unhindered exploitation of Somali resources and toward supporting Somalis in their quest for sustainable fisheries.

Update on Somali Famine 2010-2012

Famine in Somalia. Flickr/United Nations

A new study estimates that famine and severe food insecurity in Somalia claimed the lives of about 258,000 people between October 2010 and April 2012, including 133,000 children under five.  The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for Somalia and the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) commissioned the study.

A two page summary of the study said a combination of events triggered the famine.  First, the eastern Horn of Africa experienced the driest period in 60 years.  Second, donors delivered a low amount of humanitarian aid in southern Somalia in 2010 and much of 2011.  In many areas, conflict and insecurity impeded humanitarian aid and access.  You can access the complete 87 page report titled "Mortality among populations of southern and central Somalia affected by severe food insecurity and famine during 2010-2012" by following the link in the summary. 

China Under Reporting Fishing in African Waters?

Writing for Nature magazine on 2 April 2013, Christopher Pala suggested that China is under reporting its catches in the waters off West Africa in an article titled "Detective Work Uncovers Under-reported Overfishing."  Pala draws on a study by a fisheries scientist at the University of British Columbia.