China Aid Safeguards Herders’ Livelihoods in Sudan: Feed for the Sheep, Hope for the Families

18/07/2026

Driven by multiple factors including armed conflict, deteriorating security conditions, economic hardship, and climate change, Sudan is facing a severe food security crisis. Currently, 19.5 million people are experiencing severe acute food insecurity, including 135 000 people in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5 of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification). Some households are already in catastrophic conditions, and several areas are at risk of famine in the coming months. Alarmingly, there are no signs of this suffering easing.

Last winter, prolonged drought and insufficient rainfall severely degraded natural pastures, reduced agricultural production, and left very limited crop residues—such as straw that could otherwise be used as animal feed. For agropastoral households relying on livestock for their livelihoods, animals are not only the most important household asset but also a critical source of nutrition for children and household income.

“This year was extremely dry. The grazing land has almost disappeared, and we could not find feed for our sheep. Sometimes we had to buy feed from the market at very high prices, and other times we relied on crop residues from sorghum, lentils and sesame to feed our animals.” recalled Alawiya Jaafar, a mother of four from Handoub village in Suakin locality, Red Sea State, Sudan, still deeply affected by the hardship of the past months.

At this critical moment, the Government of China, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), provided USD 2 million in emergency assistance to Red Sea State through the China Global Development and South–South Cooperation Fund. This support is implemented under the Red Sea State Poverty Reduction and Livelihood Support Project, providing assistance to vulnerable agropastoral households in the region.

Recently, the FAO Sudan Office distributed concentrated animal feed to 3 200 vulnerable households out of 5 000 registered households in Suakin locality. Each household received 100 kg of feed, sufficient to support four lactating goats for approximately two months, helping them maintain milk production during the dry season until the winter rains arrive in October.

On 7 June 2026, in Handoub village, a total of 157 vulnerable households benefited from the distribution activity, including 82 female-headed households. In addition to the distribution of inputs, FAO and the local Animal Resources Directorate conducted technical training on improved livestock practices, including the use of supplementary feed, hay-making techniques, and good husbandry practices. The team also responded to community questions on feed mixing and feeding frequency, supporting more informed livestock management.

Alawiya’s household received two 50 kg bags of concentrated feed. At the same time, her livestock also benefited from FAO-supported veterinary services, including vaccination.

Beyond improvements in livestock health, she was most relieved by the direct impact on her children’s lives.

“Now we keep the milk for our children, and the surplus is sold in nearby markets to generate income for the family. I am truly happy to have received this support. I sincerely thank the donors and express my gratitude to the people of China for their support,” she said.

Interview video: https://x.com/FAOSudan/status/2077327351348654480?s=20

Community representatives in Handoub also noted that, prior to the distribution of concentrated feed, the FAO project had already provided veterinary services, including vaccination, treatment, and deworming, with special attention given to livestock owned by female-headed households and persons with disabilities. Ongoing training and awareness-raising activities have further strengthened community knowledge on improved livestock management and enhanced resilience to poverty and climate-related shocks. As livestock health and reproductive performance improve, newly born lambs can either be sold to provide households with a reliable source of income or kept for further breeding and milk production. By enabling families to reinvest livestock assets into future production, the intervention creates a sustainable cycle that strengthens household resilience, supports long-term livelihood recovery, and contributes to the sustainable development of local communities.

 

For families like Alawiya’s, the 100 kg of animal feed provided through Chinese assistance represents more than livestock support—it safeguards animal health, protects children’s nutrition, helps sustain livelihoods through a prolonged dry season, and restores a sense of hope for the future.

With the support of the Government of China, FAO is implementing the Poverty Alleviation and Agriculture Assistance in Red Sea State Sudan project, helping vulnerable communities strengthen their resilience to multiple crises through interventions across agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and water resource management. The project provides farmers with quality seeds, agricultural tools, and technical training; supports pastoralists through the distribution of concentrated animal feed, livestock vaccination campaigns, veterinary services, and improved animal husbandry training; assists vulnerable fishers with better fishing equipment and skills development; and promotes sustainable water resource management through water harvesting rehabilitation and capacity building on rainfed agriculture and supplementary irrigation. Through these interconnected interventions, the project is helping households improve food security and nutrition, restore productive capacities, strengthen resilience to conflict, climate change, and economic shocks, and lay the foundation for more sustainable livelihoods.