Sudan: New IPC Report Warns of Rising Hunger as Conflict Cuts Off Access

February 05, 2026

Mercy Corps Country Director for Sudan, Miji Park says:  

“The latest IPC findings confirm what we are witnessing on the ground: hunger is worsening across Sudan after nearly three years of unrelenting conflict. 

“Civilians across Darfur and the Kordofan have endured isolation, violence, and the destruction of their homes and livelihoods. Some have lost loved ones to hunger and conflict-related attacks. Our teams are reporting the deaths of children due to severe hunger and unpreventable illness—an unimaginable outcome that no family should ever face. Even where harvests once offered relief, conflict has made food inaccessible, leaving people to survive on almost nothing. 

“In recent days, a limited amount of goods have reached areas like Dilling and Kadugli. These are fragile gains, and conditions could deteriorate again without urgent action. 

“This is a narrow window to act: access must be protected, civilians shielded from harm, and frontline responders resourced immediately.  

“Mercy Corps continues to deliver life-saving assistance across Sudan, but only decisive international action can prevent further loss of life.” 

Mercy Corps has worked in Sudan since 2004. Through our ongoing response across 18 states, we are working to meet urgent needs and support the community’s recovery. Our teams are providing cash and voucher assistance to displaced families, helping farmers increase food production, and supporting local markets to keep essential goods moving. We are also partnering with local responders through the Cash Consortium of Sudan to deliver lifesaving aid and strengthen community resilience in the face of one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies. 

 

Note to Editors  

  • The new IPC report estimates that over 21 million people in Sudan are now facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+). 
  • Famine thresholds for acute malnutrition have been surpassed in two new localities in North Darfur: Um Baru: Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 52.9% (nearly double the famine threshold) and Kernoi with GAM rate of 34%. 
  • Acute malnutrition is worsening: An estimated 4.2 million cases in 2026, compared to 3.7 million in 2025. 
  • Testimonials from South Kordofan (*Name has been changed to protect identity) :
    • *Musa Ahmed: “During the siege, the cities were cut off and there were severe shortages of food and essential goods. Medical supplies were not available, banks stopped functioning, and people had no cash to meet their basic needs. Hunger spread among families who remained. Some households depended on support from relatives outside the area, and in extreme cases people survived by eating leaves and wild plants. There were reported deaths among children and among people with chronic illnesses due to hunger and the lack of medicine.” 
    • *Mohammed Ali:*“We were not the only ones trying to leave. Entire families were moving at the same time, with children and older people, but transportation was extremely limited and overcrowded. Many people simply could not afford to move and were left behind. During the journey, people became sick and there was no medical care or clean water available. For days, we could only find enough water to drink, not to wash, while large numbers of displaced people depended on the same few water sources. Families with children and older people were especially affected, and the lack of basic services turned the journey itself into a daily struggle for survival.” 
       

   
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