A Vicious Cycle: War and Famine in Sudan

Arjun Vohra

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The Sudan civil war has done more than devastate lives – it has dismantled the very systems that sustain them. Agriculture, once the backbone of the nation’s economy and a lifeline for millions, has been brought to its knees by years of violence. Yet the story doesn’t end there. The resulting food insecurity has become more than a humanitarian tragedy; it is a spark that reignites the very conflict that caused it. In Sudan, hunger and war are no longer isolated crises, but two sides of the same coin, locked in a vicious cycle that threatens to consume the country.

Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, has endured decades of conflict and political instability, with the situation worsening after the 2019 ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. Initially seen as a step toward democracy, the transition quickly unraveled as rival factions within the military vied for control. In April 2023, this power struggle escalated into a devastating civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), two military groups notorious for their blatant disregard of legal and ethical norms. The conflict has displaced over 11 million people, destroyed key infrastructure, and devastated the agricultural sector, which once employed a vast majority of the population. With millions of Sudanese now facing acute food insecurity, the nation teeters on the edge of collapse, locked in a cycle of violence and starvation.

The Collapse of Sudan’s Agricultural Sector

The disruption of Sudan’s agricultural sector stands as one of the most visible casualties of the civil war. In 2011, 80% of the country’s total workforce was employed in the agriculture sector. That number has since halved, with the war forcing many farmers to abandon their fields or flee to urban areas in search of safety. The drop in agricultural productivity also impacts food security, as reduced domestic production forces Sudan to rely more on imports, which are often inaccessible due to the rising costs of transportation and trade blockages caused by the war.