In the current period (June to September 2020), an estimated 9.6 million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) and are in need of urgent action. This is the highest figure ever recorded in the history of the IPC in Sudan compared to previous years. Around 2.2 million people are facing an Emergency acute food insecurity situation (IPC Phase 4) and around 7.4 million people are facing Crisis acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3). Nearly 15.9 million people are estimated to be in Stress (IPC Phase 2). This is also a high figure compared to previous analyses; a result of population shifting to worse phases. Overall, all localities from 18 Sudanese States have been classified, with exception of At Tina locality in North Darfur and Abyei PCA area in West Kordofan, where no data was collected and similar locality data could not be used either.

Food insecurity remains alarmingly high in Sudan with increased and protracted displacement, economic decline and inflation, and high food price hikes, exacerbated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly decreased commodity movement, market function and cross-border trade, and compromised livelihoods, daily labour opportunities, reducing household purchasing power and food access of the vulnerable population.

The most affected groups are: Internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees, those stranded in conflict areas, refugees from South Sudan and other neighbouring countries; poor groups from agropastoral and pastoral communities in rural areas of Western, Eastern and Northern Sudan, whose livelihoods are directly affected by the impact of COVID-19 control measures; and poor groups in urban and semi-urban centers (25%), including Khartoum, Jazeera, White Nile and Red Sea state, in addition to other main towns in the country.