–OMDURMAN, Sudan
The escalating conflict with Iran has triggered sharp increases in global fuel and fertilizer prices, posing further threats to Sudan’s fragile agricultural sector amid a severe hunger crisis.
With more than half of its fertilizer imported from the Gulf and a total reliance on imported fuel, Sudan is highly vulnerable to these external shocks while grappling with more than three years of civil war. Domestic grain production has already declined by approximately 25 percent compared to pre-war levels. Fertilizer prices have risen 67 percent year-on-year, while the cost of diesel for irrigation pumps has more than doubled.
Sadig Elamin, senior food security analyst at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), warned that total agricultural production could fall by at least 40 percent this season, describing the situation as adding ‘salt to the wound.’
Nearly 19.5 million people, more than 40% of Sudan’s population, face critical levels of acute food insecurity, with some areas on the brink of famine. Two-thirds of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, making key crops such as sorghum, millet, and sesame particularly vulnerable.
Farmers in regions like Gezira, Kordofan, and Darfur report low crop prices, mounting debt, damaged irrigation infrastructure, and insufficient government support, leading to a drastic reduction in planting this season. Local authorities have announced new funding initiatives and irrigation system repair programs, but their implementation remains uncertain due to ongoing fighting.