The Sudan | 2020 Flood Response overview

Abstract

Since July 2020, torrential rains and flooding combined with the historical overflow of the River Nile and its tributaries, the highest levels in a century, have impacted 17 states out of 18 in the Sudan. The flooding is the latest in a series of shocks and is exacerbating the already fragile situation. Since the start of 2020, the population of the Sudan has faced numerous challenges including desert locust invasions, which may return and worsen as the current floods improve breeding conditions, and the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that have contributed to the highest annual inflation rate in decades (111.23 percent in May 2020). Food insecurity in the Sudan has reached historical levels with 9.6 million people (21 percent of the population) facing acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels; a 65 percent increase compared with the same period last year and the highest ever recorded in the country by the IPC. This increase in humanitarian needs comes after a year of civil unrest and socio-political change. FAO is already acting to support the people of the Sudan. In mid-September, FAO jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Ministries of Production and Economic Resources conducted a rapid assessment to document the damages caused by floods and waterlogging on crops and livestock. The results of the assessment will inform FAO's response to the emergency, as it works with the Government and key partners to mitigate the impact of the floods and restore the livelihoods of at-risk populations.