FAO Distributes 100 Tonnes of Concentrated Feed to 3,200 Vulnerable Households in Sudan's Red Sea State

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has distributed concentrated animal feed to 3,200 vulnerable agropastoral households in Sudan's Red Sea State, targeting areas where severe drought has depleted natural pastures and reduced crop residues needed for livestock feed, according to Feed Business Middle East & Africa.

Each of the 3,200 households received 100 kg of concentrated feed — sufficient, according to the report, to support four lactating goats for approximately two months during the dry season. FAO said the support is intended to maintain milk production until winter rains are expected to arrive in October.

The distribution is concentrated in Suakin locality, where poor rainfall has degraded pastures and left limited agricultural residues available for animal feeding. On 7 June, 157 households in Handoub village received feed, among them 82 female-headed households.

The intervention forms part of a wider livestock and livelihood support programme targeting 5,000 registered vulnerable households in the locality. The broader programme is funded by US$2 million in emergency assistance from the Government of China through the China Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.

Beyond feed distribution, FAO and Sudan's local Animal Resources Directorate provided training on supplementary feeding, hay-making and livestock husbandry, as well as guidance on feed mixing and feeding frequency. Veterinary services — including vaccination, treatment and deworming — were also delivered, with particular attention to livestock owned by female-headed households and people with disabilities.

One beneficiary, Alawiya Jaafar, a mother of four from Handoub village, described conditions on the ground. Her household received two 50 kg bags of concentrated feed, which she said enabled the family to retain milk for household consumption while selling surplus milk in local markets.

The distribution comes against the backdrop of a severe food security crisis in Sudan. According to the project information cited in the report, 19.5 million people in Sudan are experiencing severe acute food insecurity. For agropastoral households, livestock represent a key asset, providing milk, income and breeding stock, making the deterioration of pasture conditions a direct threat to household livelihoods.

Beyond livestock, the wider programme covers agriculture, fisheries and water resources, including seed and agricultural input distribution, fishing equipment, water-harvesting rehabilitation and technical training.