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With research staff from more than 70 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

Lilia Bliznashka

Lily Bliznashka is a Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit. Her research focuses on assessing the effectiveness of multi-input nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions and the mechanisms through which they work to improve maternal and child health and nutrition globally. She has worked in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

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experts

Development Strategies and Governance

Hala Abushama

Research Analyst

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Bio

Hala Abushama is a Research Analyst with the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, and is based at IFPRI-Cairo.

Development Strategies and Governance

Publications

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Book Chapter

Conflict-induced trade dynamics: A gravity framework analysis of Sudan’s agricultural exports

2026Ayesu, Enock Kojo; Kornher, Lukas; Sakyi, Daniel; Abushama, Hala
Details

Conflict-induced trade dynamics: A gravity framework analysis of Sudan’s agricultural exports

Long before the April 2023 eruption of armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Sudan’s economy was crippled by conflicts. The country’s agricultural production and productivity, internal trade, exports, and overall macroeconomic performance have all been adversely affected, and disruptions to the agrifood system, food insecurity, poverty, and malnutrition will likely remain if the conflict continues.

Year published

2026

Authors

Ayesu, Enock Kojo; Kornher, Lukas; Sakyi, Daniel; Abushama, Hala

Citation

Ayesu, Enock Kojo; Kornher, Lukas; Sakyi, Daniel; and Abushama, Hala. 2026. Conflict-induced trade dynamics: A gravity framework analysis of Sudan’s agricultural exports. In War and Resilience: The Multifaceted Impacts of Sudan’s Conflict and Pathways to Recovery, eds. Khalid Siddig, Oliver K. Kirui, and Paul Dorosh. Section Two: Economic, Social, and Humanitarian Impacts, Chapter 6, Pp. 117-146. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182368

Country/Region

Sudan

Keywords

Africa; Northern Africa; Conflicts; Trade; Frameworks; Exports; Agricultural Trade; Agrifood Systems

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter

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Book Chapter

State failure and elite capture of Sudan’s agrifood system

2026Resnick, Danielle; Abushama, Hala; Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; Ahmed, Mosab O. M.
Details

State failure and elite capture of Sudan’s agrifood system

Since the outbreak of Sudan’s civil war in April 2023, nearly 12 million people have been displaced, and an estimated 44,000 have been directly killed by the violence (UNHCR 2026; ACLED 2025). Many more are estimated to have suffered from war-related disease and malnutrition (Roberts 2025). The decimation of the capital city of Khartoum—the epicenter of the jubilant civilian uprisings in 2019—epitomizes the country’s short journey from a promising democratic opening to a failed state.

Year published

2026

Authors

Resnick, Danielle; Abushama, Hala; Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; Ahmed, Mosab O. M.

Citation

Resnick, Danielle; Abushama, Hala; Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; and Ahmed, Mosab O. M. 2026. State failure and elite capture of Sudan’s agrifood system. In War and Resilience: The Multifaceted Impacts of Sudan’s Conflict and Pathways to Recovery, eds. Khalid Siddig, Oliver K. Kirui, and Paul Dorosh. Section One: Origins and Dynamics of the Conflict, Chapter 3, Pp. 37-63. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182365

Country/Region

Sudan

Keywords

Africa; Northern Africa; Governance; State Intervention; Agrifood Systems; Agricultural Value Chains

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter

Resource thumbnail

Book Chapter

Worsening food security in Sudan amid conflict

2026Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Abushama, Hala
Details

Worsening food security in Sudan amid conflict

The conflict in Sudan, primarily between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has escalated since April 2023 into a significant crisis, affecting the nation’s stability and security and worsening humanitarian conditions. The conflict has severely degraded the food security of many Sudanese households, with profound effects on their diets, coping strategies, and overall welfare.

Year published

2026

Authors

Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Abushama, Hala

Citation

Kirui, Oliver K.; Siddig, Khalid; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; and Abushama, Hala. 2026. Worsening food security in Sudan amid conflict. In War and Resilience: The Multifaceted Impacts of Sudan’s Conflict and Pathways to Recovery, eds. Khalid Siddig, Oliver K. Kirui, and Paul Dorosh. Section Two: Economic, Social, and Humanitarian Impacts, Chapter 9, Pp. 191-218. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182379

Country/Region

Sudan

Keywords

Africa; Northern Africa; Food Security; Conflicts; Households; Agricultural Sector

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter

Events

Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires
Series/Special Event

 | 

April 14 to 15, 2026

Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires

April 2026 marks three years since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan, which has severely disrupted economic activity, food systems, and social services. More than half of the country’s population is in need of assistance, and communities, markets, and institutions are under unprecedented pressure.

Informing Crisis Response in Sudan
IFPRI Policy Seminar

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October 22, 2025, 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Informing Crisis Response in Sudan

The recent resurgence of armed conflicts in Africa is increasing the need and urgency for investments in shock-responsive humanitarian and social assistance programs. Armed conflicts both increase the need for aid and greatly complicate delivery of humanitarian services to vulnerable populations. In addition, humanitarian organizations are facing an increasing funding gap because of dwindling donor […]

Two Years of Crisis: Impact and Pathways to Recovery and Resilience
Series/Special Event

 | 

April 14 to 15, 2025

Two Years of Crisis: Impact and Pathways to Recovery and Resilience

The Sudan conflict, now entering its third year, continues to devastate the country’s socioeconomic fabric. As of January 2025, more than 8.8 million people were internally displaced, and over 3.3 million had sought refuge in neighboring countries. Conservative reports estimate over 32,000 fatalities occurred between the start of the war on April 15, 2023, and […]

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News

February 18, 2026 | In the News

Sudan: how warring factions gained influence in the country’s food system – and what it means for the current conflict (The Conversation)

The importance of understanding the political economy incentives that drive large-scale conflict.

February 10, 2026 | In the News

Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict zones? (VoxDev)

Digital cash transfers can be delivered even in active conflict settings like Sudan and can significantly protect vulnerable households from worsening food insecurity, though their impacts vary by context and household characteristics.