Food insecurity to increase as lean season peaks
- In northern Sudan, over 5 million people in Darfur, Red Sea State, southern parts of South Kordofan State, and parts of Blue Nile, Kassala, and North Kordofan states face moderate and high levels of food insecurity due to last year's poor harvests and ongoing conflict in Darfur.
- Food insecurity is expected to worsen in these areas from July to September, with the peak of the lean season in August, as food stocks are depleted before the next harvest in October. Cereal prices are expected to peak during July to September and population displacements are expected to continue during this period in Darfur due to insecurity.
- In southern Sudan, the most food insecure populations are located in Jonglei, Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Eastern Equatoria states, where food reserves were exhausted earlier than normal. Food security conditions between May and June are expected to worsen as the lean season peaks.
- Food security in southern Sudan is expected to improve from July to September in the April - July cropping areas of Western, Central, and Eastern Equatoria states, where the harvest is expected in July. Slight improvements are also expected during September in the other seven states, when consumption of early maturing crops begins. However, improvements are unlikely for 260,000 - 300,000 people who remain displaced.