Risks of Ongoing Famine in Sudan: 19.5 Million Face Severe Food Insecurity, Over 825,000 Children at Risk of Death in 2026

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis by UNICEF, FAO, and WFP, approximately 19.5 million people in Sudan—two out of every five people—are facing crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or higher).

While no areas are currently confirmed to be in 'Catastrophic Hunger' (IPC Phase 5), the situation remains extremely grave. Approximately 135,000 people in 14 hotspots in Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan are facing IPC Phase 5 conditions and are at risk of sliding into famine in the coming months. Furthermore, over 5 million people are classified as 'Emergency' (IPC Phase 4), and 14 million as 'Crisis' (IPC Phase 3). The situation is expected to deteriorate further during the lean season from June to September.

As the conflict enters its fourth year, the prolonged hunger crisis shows no signs of abating. Violence, displacement, and severe constraints on delivering humanitarian aid continue to affect children, families, and communities nationwide.

Sudan is also facing a severe nutrition crisis. In 2026, an estimated 825,000 children under five are predicted to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), a 7% increase from 2025 and 25% higher than pre-conflict levels. Between January and March of this year alone, nearly 100,000 children were treated for SAM in hospitals. SAM can be life-threatening without urgent treatment.

In December 2025, malnutrition reached critical levels in Umm Baru and Kernoi in North Darfur. Acute malnutrition is expected to remain extremely high in these areas, with others at risk of worsening, particularly among besieged populations and internally displaced persons.

Displacement remains high, with nearly 9 million people displaced within Sudan as of late March 2026. Many families are trapped in areas of active fighting or have fled to remote areas with little to no access to humanitarian aid or basic services.

The destruction of civilian infrastructure—markets, healthcare facilities, water systems, and agricultural tools—has severely limited food production and access to essential services. Approximately 40% of healthcare facilities are non-functional, an estimated 17 million people lack safe drinking water, and 24 million lack adequate sanitation.

Repeated outbreaks of cholera, measles, malaria, dengue, hepatitis, diphtheria, and diarrheal diseases are exacerbating the nutritional status of young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Humanitarian access constraints are among the most severe globally. Insecurity, administrative barriers, attacks on supply routes, and restrictions on movement prevent aid workers from delivering assistance at the required scale.

As of April 2026, only 20% of the funding for Sudan's '2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan' has been secured. Humanitarian assistance remains significantly insufficient compared to the scale of need.