IPC says conflict and El Niño drought are increasing the risk of famine in Sudan's Darfur and Kordofan regions
13 October 2026
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said in a statement on Monday 12 October 2026 that conflict and drought are increasing the risk of famine across Sudan's Darfur and Kordofan regions.
"An El Nino-induced drought, affecting roughly half of the country, is compounding the impacts of conflict and displacement," the IPC said, as the war continues.
Poor vegetation growth affects nearly two-thirds of cropland in North Darfur and about half in South Darfur, West Kordofan and South Kordofan.
In Nyala, the proportion of children accessing nutrition services who were admitted for severe acute malnutrition doubled from approximately 5% to 11% between January and August. Two displacement camps in South Darfur also recorded global acute malnutrition above famine thresholds.
In May, nearly 19.5 million people, over 40% of the population, faced high levels of acute food insecurity, according to an IPC assessment; 135,000 of them were in Phase 5, the most severe classification.
The IPC said healthcare is extremely limited, often entirely inaccessible, while clean water is becoming increasingly scarce.
In plain words
IPC Integrated Food Security Phase Classification — A 21-member initiative that classifies the severity of food insecurity in phases, with Phase 5 the most severe.
El Nino Periodic warming of the central and eastern Pacific — A climate pattern that can cause drought in some regions, here linked to the drought in Sudan.