Despite the devastation of Sudan’s ongoing war, a recent UN assessment reveals a surprising story of resilience in the country’s agriculture sector. A new crop and food supply mission report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that Sudan achieved a significant recovery in cereal production during the 2024/2025 season, defying widespread instability and supply shortages.
According to the report, Sudan produced 6.7 million tonnes of grain—up 62% from the previous year and 7% above the five-year average. This includes 5.4 million tonnes of sorghum, representing a 77% increase from 2023. The rise is attributed to a favorable rainy season and the determination of farmers, despite ongoing insecurity, inflation, and limited access to seeds and fertilizer.
Livestock also showed signs of recovery, with improved pasture conditions and 8.1 million animals vaccinated in government-controlled areas. However, disease outbreaks and rising fodder costs remain a concern, especially as security challenges have forced animal concentrations into a few regions.
With the population estimated at 50.7 million in 2025, Sudan’s grain demand stands at 7.7 million tonnes. Although domestic production has risen, the country still faces a shortfall of 2.7 million tonnes, mainly in wheat. The report suggests this gap could be offset through international barter deals, such as swapping surplus sorghum for imported wheat.
The UN’s findings challenge the international community to rethink emergency food aid models. Despite institutional collapse and skyrocketing inflation, local producers in Sudan have demonstrated that homegrown solutions can work—if backed with the right support. Instead of prioritizing food imports, the report calls for investing in local agriculture, input supply chains, and small-scale food industries to localize humanitarian aid.
With over 11 million people internally displaced and 24.6 million facing acute food insecurity, the stakes are high. But as the report concludes, Sudan’s agricultural recovery under fire proves that “local production is not just an option—it’s an urgent, sustainable pathway for food security.”