FAO/GIEWS: Africa Report No.2 - August 2002 p.56
| Area: | 2.4 million sq km |
| Climate: | From north to south, arid, semi-arid and tropical wet-dry. Rainy season: May-October |
| Population: | 32.81 million (2002 estimate); GNP per caput: US$310 (2000) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; cereal production mainly in eastern and central areas. |
| Logistics: | Roads, railway and river transport inadequate |
| Major foodcrops: | Sorghum, millet, wheat, roots and tubers, oils |
| Marketing year: | November/October; Lean season: September-October |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 51 percent |
Planting of the 2002 main season cereal crop is in progress in central and northern growing areas. Early prospects are unfavourable due to below normal rains in May and June which affected planting. More rains are needed in the coming weeks to avoid further reductions in yield potential. In southern Sudan prospects are also unfavourable. The area planted has been reduced by continuous population displacements due to recent upsurge in conflict coupled with late and insufficient rains in parts. However, recent reports indicate that heavy rains and floods have displaced large number of people in West Kordofan and White Nile States. A thorough needs assessment is planned by the UN local team as soon as roads are safe for travel.
Escalation of conflict in parts of southern Sudan is set to exacerbate an already poor food security situation due to continuing civil strife and adverse weather. Large numbers of people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands cut off from humanitarian access. Already an estimated 3 million IDPs, drought-affected and vulnerable people in different parts of the country depend on food assistance.
An Emergency Operation was jointly approved in April 2002 by FAO and WFP for food assistance for 2.9 million people, worth US$132.8 million for a period of 12 months (1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003).
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Previous five years average production | 385 | 5 | 3 994 | 4 384 |
| Previous five years average imports | 967 | 31 | 88 | 1 086 |
| 2001/02 Domestic Availability | 247 | 6 | 5 101 | 5 354 |
| 2001 Production (rice in paddy terms) | 247 | 10 | 5 101 | 5 358 |
| 2001 Production (rice in milled terms) | 247 | 6 | 5 101 | 5 354 |
| Possible stock drawdown | - | - | - | - |
| 2001/02 Utilization | 1 397 | 36 | 5 191 | 6 624 |
| Food use | 1 336 | 35 | 3 173 | 4 544 |
| of which: local purchase requirement | - | - | 300 | 300 |
| Non-food use | 31 | 1 | 918 | 950 |
| Exports or re-exports | - | - | 200 | 200 |
| Possible stock build up | 30 | - | 900 | 930 |
| 2001/02 Import Requirement | 1 150 | 30 | 90 | 1 270 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 1 100 | 30 | - | 1 130 |
| Food aid needs | 50 | - | 90 | 140 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | 29 | - | 31 | 60 |
| of which: delivered | 18 | - | 31 | 49 |
| Donor-financed purchases | - | - | 21 | 21 |
| of which: for local use | - | - | 21 | 21 |
| for export | - | - | - | - |
| Estimated Per Caput Consumption (kg/year) | 41 | 1 | 97 | 139 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 2001 Production as % of average: | 122 | |||
| 2001/02 Import requirement as % of average: | 117 |