Nairobi, Kenya——

Today marks the first anniversary of the start of the war between the Sudanese army and its paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war has caused widespread hunger, leaving fields barren and aid agencies struggling to help millions of displaced Sudanese. Despite the challenges, some farmers are receiving support from UK Aid.

On April 15, 2023, Sudanese woke to the sound of gunfire, shelling and the roar of military aircraft as the Sudanese army and Forces Without Borders began a battle for control of the capital, Khartoum.

The fighting has made it difficult for humanitarian aid organizations to distribute food and for farmers in conflict zones to grow crops.

The spreading conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions.

UK-based aid organization Practical Action is working with farmers in states not affected by the war to produce food, fight hunger and improve their economic conditions.

The organization is supporting at least 200,000 farmers and families.

Moona Eltahir, Country Director of Practical Action Sudan, said her organization works to alleviate food insecurity.

“We have a project in Al Qaeda and Kassala,” she said. “We have another project in the Blue Nile that supports small farmers to increase their yields and productivity by providing them with seedlings and some knowledge. This is also successful and can fill some gaps, but it is very limited in scale because we are a very small minority One of those organizations dedicated to sustaining agriculture and farmers rather than distributing handouts.”

According to the United Nations, more than 18 million Sudanese are food insecure, with most trapped in areas of intense fighting.

The conflict disrupted agricultural production, damaging infrastructure and farmers’ livelihoods.

Jalal Babiker, leader of the Elethia Farmers Association, told VOA that farmers in his area have increased production and cleared more land.

He said farmers use about 50 feddans of land, equivalent to about 50 acres, to grow a variety of crops, including potatoes, grapefruits, lemons, bananas and various vegetables. He said that this year, farmers in cooperation with Practical Action launched a potato planting project in Kassala state, planting about 24 feddans in three designated areas.

Residents of Kassala state previously relied on Gezira and Khartoum for the production of potatoes and other agricultural products, but the conflict disrupted supply chains and the region was forced to become self-sufficient.

Babik said that the goal of planting potatoes in Kassala State is to improve the business conditions of small farmers. Potato planting is to provide farmers with cheap potatoes and seedlings and to create employment opportunities for young people in the region.

Babik is optimistic about the future of agriculture in his country. However, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Monday that the conflict would escalate as more armed groups join the fighting.

Eltahir worries that the war in Sudan will hinder her work with farmers.

“My nightmare is that the conflict will expand into the safe areas where we operate,” she said. “And then they will loot crops, or destroy farmland. And then it will be a real disaster. Everything will go bad.” Unexpectedly Among them, because just like yesterday, they attacked Al Qaeda. “

Calls from the United Nations and international agencies urging the warring parties to cease hostilities have so far been ignored.