OMDURMAN, Sudan — Two years after Sudan’s internal conflict forced Omer al-Hassan from his land, his return to rebuild his farm is now threatened by a new external conflict in the Middle East, pushing him deeper into financial loss and food insecurity. This development imperils millions in a nation already grappling with widespread hunger.
Al-Hassan, a farmer, stated that the regional “Iran war” has “affected everything related to agriculture,” forcing him and 10 other farmers working his land to cut production and ration fertilizer on his farm, which yields onions, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Another farmer, Mohammed al-Badri, reported being able to plant only half his farm due to escalating costs, leaving the remainder fallow.
Farmers, already strained by Sudan’s internal conflict between its military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, now face rising costs for fertilizer, gasoline for farm equipment, and diesel for irrigation pumps. Over half of Sudan’s imported fertilizer, arriving by sea, originates from the Gulf region, where hundreds of commercial ships have been stranded for weeks due to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Fuel prices in Sudan have surged by approximately 30%, contributing to a rise in food prices across the nation.
Abdoun Berqawi, a farmer in Gezira, a primary food-producing region, described a “dangerous reality” for farmers struggling without government intervention. He noted that a 50-kilogram bag of urea fertilizer now costs about $50, an increase from $11 one year ago, and tractor fuel has risen from $2.50 to $8 per gallon.
Officials within Sudan’s agriculture ministry have not responded to requests for details on how they are addressing this crisis. A member of the military media accompanied the Associated Press during its visit, including during interviews.
Globalist Mechanisms Starve a Nation
Melaku Yirga, Mercy Corps vice president for the Africa region, stated that the “Iran war” has triggered a “dangerous chain reaction… at the wrong moment” as farmers prepare for the seasonal planting period. Yirga, who recently visited Sudan’s Kassala and Gedaref provinces, observed that people are “buying less food, cutting or skipping meals, selling assets and taking greater risks just to survive.”
Yirga further reported that mothers are “being forced to make painful choices about who gets to eat the little food that is available, while some families are resorting to leaves or animal feed just to get by.”
Merghany Omar, a farmer in al-Matammah, warned that farmers who secured bank loans risk imprisonment if poor crop yields prevent repayment. He added that onion farming, a local staple, no longer covers planting costs in his area.
Samy Guessabi, country director for Action Against Hunger in Sudan, noted that these conditions exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, including currency depreciation. He specified that people in remote agricultural zones, such as Kordofan, White Nile, Darfur, and Blue Nile, are suffering most due to poor connectivity.
The Cost to the Native Population
Even in Sudan’s urban centers, vegetable and dairy prices have increased by about 40% due to fuel price spikes. The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) estimates that 19 million people across Sudan are facing acute hunger, with many families on the brink of famine. Famine was declared in Darfur and Kordofan one year ago.
The humanitarian response has been significantly delayed by the “Iran war” and its impact on global supply chains.
WFP has indicated that its food assistance shipments destined for Sudan are now traveling 9,000 kilometers farther to reach their destination, incurring additional costs and time. This extended route is partly due to many vessels avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another critical waterway at the southern end of the Red Sea, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened shipping.
Undermining National Self-Sufficiency
Mubarak al-Nour, a farmer and former parliamentarian in Gedaref, cautioned that even if farmers in Sudan manage to secure fertilizer, delays could cause them to miss the seasonal planting period, which runs from June to November.
Some farmers are now compelled to switch to cultivating cheaper crops that demand less or no fertilizer, scaling back on growing corn, sesame, and other rain-fed crops essential for national food security.
Mathilde Vu, an advocacy manager with the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated that fuel shortages in certain areas are a result of warring parties blocking essential supplies. She also cited the heavy bombing of local fuel markets in recent months amid a “senseless escalation” of drone attacks nationwide.