Sudan: Conflict and drought drive feed costs and threaten poultry and livestock farms

Sudan’s violent armed conflict, now entering its third year, has contaminated pastures in key agricultural regions with shells and hazardous chemicals, driving up feed costs and threatening thousands of farms. Lack of pastures suitable for grazing has recently spurred feed costs in Sudan to unprecedented highs, Independent Arabia, a local daily publication, has recently warned, citing local farmers. Hundreds of animals have died in the main food-producing regions of Darfur. Kordofan and the Blue Nile due to thirst and a lack of food. Farmers say that pastures in the areas affected by the fighting are no longer suitable for feeding agricultural animals, and as long as the conflict drags on, it is highly unlikely any steps will be taken to recover the affected territories. This year, the crisis has been further escalated by an unprecedented and severe drought, which has destroyed the sources of drinking water in the agricultural areas, exacerbating the already dire situation. ...