The politics of famine in Sudan: The case of Dar Hamid and Dar Hamar (2025)

Famine in Africa: Causes, Responses, and Prevention

African Studies Review, 2001

Tables and Figures Tables 1.1 Selected famines of the twentieth century 3 3.1 Indicators of military expenditures for selected African countries and famine events 21 4.1 Indexes of per capita food production in famine-affected and notaffected African countries, 1961-95/96 32 4.2 Selected famines and droughts in Sudan, 1880s-1990s 37 4.3 A chronology of major droughts and famines in Eritrea and Ethiopia, 1880s-1990s 39 4.4 Correlation of per capita cereal production in Ethiopia's six main provinces, 1979-87 43 4.5 Regression analyses of rainfall-cereal production and rainfall-yield relationships in Ethiopia, 1961/62-1988/89 45 4.6 Crop-specific analysis on rainfall-yield relationships in Ethiopia, 1979-87 47 4.7 Parameter estimates of yield-and production-response equations for cereal crops in Sudan 48 4.8 Response of yield and production of rainfed cereal crops in Sudan to a 10 percent change in rainfall index 50 5.1 Simulated person/land ratio in a Rwandan sample, simulations 1985-2005 59 5.2 Calorie production in a region of Rwanda, 1985-2005 60 5.3 On-and off-farm labor allocation and distribution in a region of Rwanda under population pressure, 1985-2005 61 5.4 Prevalence of malnutrition in African children aged 0-59 months, by rural and urban location 63 5.5 Nutrition situation of refugees and displaced people in Sub-Saharan Africa, January 1994 64 5.6 Sources of calorie and protein availability by type of residence and income level in Khartoum, 1990 67 ix x Tables and Figures 6.1 Terms of trade between livestock and sorghum as a ratio of price indexes in Sudan, 1974-85 73 6.2 Determinants of price flexibility and domestic terms-of-trade flexibility in Sudan, 1973-88 76 6.3 Effects of production and stock changes on cereal prices and cereallivestock terms of trade in Sudan, 1973-88 77 6.4 Regression coefficients for tests of Sudanese regional market integration during the 1980s famine 82 6.5 Analysis of a market integration model on the Ethiopian famine, 1984-89 84 7.1 A framework for analysis of famine response at the household level 91 7.2 Area planted, output, and yield of cereals among sample households in Ethiopia and Sudan, 1983-88 101 7.3 Sample household income sources in Ethiopia and Sudan, by tercile, 1988/89 105 7.4 Value of assets sold during worst famine year and held in 1989, by income tercile in Ethiopian sample households 108 7.5 Percentage of Ethiopian sample households selling at least one cow, ox, or donkey to purchase food, 1984-88 109 7.6 Average calorie consumption in selected famine-prone, low-, and middle-income African countries, 1994 111 7.7 Sample household per capita expenditure, food share, and calorie consumption, by tercile and gender of household head, Ethiopia and Sudan 113 7.8 Ethiopian and Sudanese sample household calorie sources, by tercile, 1988-90 114 7.9 Major foods consumed by sample households in Ethiopia and Sudan, by tercile, during famine year and 1989/90 115 7.10 Consumption responses to famine of sample households in Ethiopia and Sudan, by tercile 117 7.11 Percentage of children severely malnourished in Gara Godo (Ethiopia), selected dates 1985-89 120 7.12 Proportion of malnourished children < 80 and 70 percent of standard weight for height among a sedentary population in Kordofan (Sudan), 1985/86 120 8.1 Famine risks and selected food policy choices 131 8.2 Incidence of targeting with food price subsidies and cash transfer programs in Maputo (Mozambique), by quintile, 1992 142 8.3 Comparison of child nutritional status measures in Botswana's employment program versus nonparticipants 147 8.4 Characteristics of Zimbabwe's Food-for-Work Program, selected months 1989-92 149 Tables and Figures xi 8.5 Percentage of food needs met by Zimbabwe's Food-for-Work Program, selected areas, 1989-92 150 8.6 Selected demographic and wealth characteristics of Niger households, by participation groups in employment programs, 1990/91 154 8.7 Z-scores for Niger preschooler weight-for-height, height-forage , and weight-forage characteristics, by participation in employment programs and location, 1990/91 155 8.8 Niger adult body-mass indexes, by participation in employment program, location, and gender of household head, 1990/91 156 8.9 Employment program potential under different food-security and labor market conditions 159 8.10 Use of informal and formal credit by the poor in Madagascar 165 8.11 Per household grain production before, during, and after the 1984 drought, by program participation in the Jebel Marra Project, Darfur (Sudan) 172 8.12 Household size and percentage of female heads of household in extension villages, by program participation in the Jebel Marra Project, Darfur (Sudan) 172 8.13 Distribution of drought migrants in Jebel Marra area, Darfur (Sudan), by agro-ecological zone, 1984/85-1985/86 173 8.14 Key elements of famine mitigation efforts and responses in Zimbabwe, 1992/93, versus Ethiopia in the 1980s 178 xii Tables and Figures 6.2 Sudanese cereal price index, 1970s and during the 1980s famine 72 6.3 Terms of trade between food, livestock, and firewood in Dessie, Wollo region (Ethiopia), during the 1982-87 famine 74 6.4 Teff price variability in three main markets of the Wollo region (Ethiopia), 1984-89 79 6.5 Price indexes for sorghum, millet, and cereal during famines in Sudanese regions, 1973/74-1985/86 79 7.1 Price shocks and malnutrition in Kordofan children, January 1981-December 1986 121 8.1 Patterns of time-dependent impacts of alternative policies and programs on famine mitigation and prevention 125 8.2 Employment programs, crises, poverty targeting, and asset quality 161 8.3 Organization of international and national famine mitigation and relief systems 180 Foreword As the twenty-first century dawns, it is a sad reality that famines are still with us, especially in Africa. And despite the speed with which telecommunications can spread news around the globe, famines in remote places are sometimes silent, virtually unnoticed on the world scene until they are irrevocable. Droughts, conflicts, or other short-term disasters are generally blamed for famines, but in truth, the fault lies mainly with enduring poverty. When a sizable portion of the population is extemely poor, many people do not have the resources to withstand the effects of severe setbacks, no matter how shortlived. As Joachim von Braun, Tesfaye Teklu, and Patrick Webb tell us in this comprehensive book on famine, "although political and military conflict and drought contribute to famine, they do so mainly where people are vulnerable and when resilience to external shocks has already worn thin." This book sheds new light on both the theoretical and empirical bases for understanding famines and examines their diverse causes, which range from policy and planning failures to natural catastrophes, environmental degradation, overpopulation, market failures, and of course conflict. In the context of a comprehensive conceptual framework, the book confronts the reality of famine at the household level in Ethiopia and Sudan and considers programs in the field that have shown success in preventing or mitigating famine in, for example, Botswana, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. It stresses that policies that prevent and mitigate famine can succeed only when both peace and participatory government prevail. Such policies must involve coordinated activity on the community, national, and international levels. What is especially important about this research is its multifaceted approach, which examines technical, economic, geographic, and political factors and combines theory, fact-finding, and policy analysis. And because of this, both scholars and decisionmakers will find this book particularly useful.

Resource alienation, militarisation and development: case studies from East African drylands

2002

The programme involves researchers from Ethiopia, Norway, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Its major objective is to produce development-relevant information on East African drylands. Taking a broad view rather concentrating on the issue of crisis management, the programme focuses on the spatial and temporal dimensions of resource management. A number of workshops had been held dealing with the issue of human adaptations in East African drylands.

Study on small-scale family farming in the Near East and North Africa region. Focus country: Egypt

2017

The Study was based on secondary data as well as on information provided by relevant government and non-government agricultural units at the Federal and states levels. The Study is intended to provide an analytical basis for recommending policy actions towards revitalizing inclusive and sustainable small-scale agriculture sub-sector. The Study starts by providing background information about the agro-ecology of the country, the development and evolution of the agriculture sector, the changing strategic focus and the current challenges facing the country. It also discusses the typology of small-scale farming systems in the country and highlights the livelihood associated with them. The Study also provides description of the production patterns and the role and challenges facing the six identified small-scale farming systems, namely small-scale sub-systems for rain-fed crop production, animal production, irrigated agriculture, semi-mechanized rain-fed agriculture, forestry and fishery...

Livelihood diversification: continuity and change in the Sahel

GeoJournal, 2007

Livelihood diversification can be crucial for poor rural households in the African Sahel. Migration is a common diversification strategy during the dry season, but there are also areas with significant strategies on the farm, such as incomes from gum and resins. Sudan is a country where the income from gum arabic, the gum from the Acacia senegal tree, has played a large economic role for smallholders for generations, but there are signs of a declining production which is detrimental if people have no alternative incomes. The results showed that in parts of the country, the 1984 drought caused an event-driven change resulting in a discontinuation of production. However, in other parts of the country, the agricultural system providing gum arabic proved to be more resilient to the drought and the incomes from gum arabic still play a large role. The results illustrated a complexity of driving forces, regional differences and a large variability in incomes between households. Some causes were indirect such as prices, drought, precipitation and locust, whereas the others were direct and hence more controllable by households. This study underlined the direct causes, such as how labour input is prioritised between livelihood activities, which have not been given as much attention in previous literature. Secondly, the need for a holistic view of livelihoods is underlined in order to understand the future of gum arabic production. Empirical data were collected from extensive fieldwork.

Editorial: war and famine in Africa

Review of African Political Economy, 1985

This number of ROAPE is devoted to the twin issues of war and famine in Africa-more specifically to famine and how war, among a number of factors, impinges on it. While the attention of the northern hemisphere has been focused on the increasing threat of nuclear annihilation, the population of much of Africa has been concerned with staving off famine. Compared with the immediate horrors of starving to death, the threat of nuclear destruction seems remote and more a matter for the superpowers. In fact, the issue of increasing nuclear militarism in the 'north' is highly relevant to the future food security of the world. There is little doubt that the southern hemisphere would suffer greatly from the 'nuclear winter' produced by nuclear war in the 'north'-with the reduction in heat and light received from the sun having disastrous consequences for food production and thus producing worldwide famine.

Standing wealth. Pastoralist Livestock Production and Local Livelihood in Sudan

2013

UNEP promotes environmentally sound practices globally and in its own activities. This publication is printed on recycled paper using eco-friendly practices. Our distribution policy aims to reduce UNEP's carbon footprint.

ENVIRONMENT, FAMINE AND CONFLICT IN KORDOFAN (SUDAN)‎

Hibiscus Production and Market Chains in Umm Ruwaba and Er Rahad, North Kordofan, Sudan: Consultant Report

This study provides an overview of the hibiscus production, processing and trading in the areas of Umm Ruwaba and Er Rahad in North Kordofan in the Sudan. It retraces the supply chain from the local farmer through the small traders up to the companies that process hibiscus locally for sale on larger markets and for export. Additionally, it examines the cultural and socio-economic background of work as far as this is necessary to understand the hibiscus business. The Sudanese hibiscus production is negatively influenced by various local and global factors despite its relative good standing at the international market: (1) low production per farmer and the low productivity of the areas in general; (2) growing competition by other major producers elsewhere in the world; (3) persistent domestic difficulties in the Sudan to meet export quality standards; (4) poor relations and communication among the stakeholders in the value chain; (5) increasing pressure by consumers and shareholders i...

Pastoralism and Adaptation to Climate Change

Environment and Conflict in Africa, 1980

Non-timber Forest Products: Opportunities and Constraints for Poverty Reduction in the Nuba Mountains, South Kordofan, Sudan

This paper examines the potential and constraints for the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to poverty reduction in South Kordofan State. The main objectives of this study are to emphasise the variety of NTFP tree and shrub products found in the area, to describe their potential contribution to local inhabitants health and wealth and to indicate major constraints to promoting their domestication and planting for NTFPs. Drawing on a study of four provinces in South Kordofan State, the findings confirm that NTFPs contribute significantly to the diet and income of the rural inhabitants. It is recommended that NTFP producing trees and shrubs should be conserved and improved and given high research priority in order to maintains diversity and sustain productivity and hence food security and income. Their integration in the local farming systems is paramount.