Sha’iriya, September 30 (Darfur24)
Agricultural pests threaten what remains of the farming season in Sha’iriya, East Darfur State, after insects spread across fields of corn, millet, sesame, and beans.
The Sha’iriya Central Emergency Room said about 90% of the agricultural season has already failed because of insufficient rainfall, warning that the pest outbreak could destroy the remaining crops and further undermine the livelihoods of thousands of farming families.
In an urgent appeal, the emergency room called on humanitarian organizations, relief agencies, and agricultural authorities to provide pesticides, spraying equipment, and support for affected farmers.
Farmers told Darfur24 that insects are destroying crops within a short period. Bashir Ibrahim said high fertilizer prices in Nyala have further increased pressure on farmers and urged the East Darfur agriculture authorities to intervene.
Mona Saleh, a member of the emergency room, said pests had spread across most of the town. She said the chamber had coordinated its appeal with local agricultural officials but had received no formal response, apart from individual efforts to control the outbreak.
The emergency room also called for community and youth groups to organize field campaigns to combat the pests while awaiting an official response.
The outbreak comes as poor rainfall has reduced agricultural production across parts of Darfur and Kordofan, raising concerns over worsening food insecurity.
Humanitarian estimates indicate that about 19.1 million people in Sudan could face severe food insecurity in 2026, with children and pregnant and breastfeeding women particularly vulnerable to acute malnutrition.