Three years into the outbreak of violent conflict in Sudan, the crisis has become far more than a humanitarian emergency. Evidence presented at the Third Sudan Conflict Conference in Cairo in April 2026 showcased how the war has disrupted agriculture, markets, livelihoods, public services, and institutions, while forcing households and businesses to adapt under extreme pressure. The conference highlighted a central message: Sudan’s recovery will require coordinated strategies that link humanitarian assistance with longer-term resilience and development.
Food systems and livelihoods under stress
The first session showcased the deep impact of the conflict on food security and livelihoods while identifying potential pathways for recovery. Shima Mohamed (IFPRI) presented smallholder farmers’ survey findings (Figure 1), showing that nearly 60% of farmers reported conflict-related disruptions, mainly due to crop destruction, insecurity, high input costs, and limited access to finance. Ali Musa Abakar (Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, AOAD) argued that Sudan’s agricultural crisis reflects systemic collapse rather than a temporary production shock, while Hambulo Ngoma (CIMMYT) highlighted how disruptions to input supply chains have constrained local food production, contributing to an estimated cereal deficit of 2.7 million metric tons in 2025.
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