The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a nationwide livestock vaccination campaign in Sudan, aiming to protect 9.8 million animals and safeguard the livelihoods of 1.2 million livestock-owning households. The 2026–2027 campaign builds on its 2025 predecessor and covers all 18 states of the country, which has been gripped by armed conflict since April 2023.
The launch took place in Sharg An Neel (East Nile) during a field visit by Rein Paulsen, Director of FAO's Office of Emergencies and Resilience, who travelled across Khartoum, White Nile and Sinnar States. Sudan's livestock sector was estimated at 115.4 million animals in 2025 and represents a critical source of nutrition and income for millions of agro-pastoral families. FAO estimates that conflict-related livestock losses amount to nearly $3 billion.
The conflict has severely disrupted animal health services and damaged veterinary infrastructure, including the destruction of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Soba — the country's sole producer of veterinary vaccines for more than five decades, which had produced up to 35 million vaccine doses annually before hostilities began. To help bridge this gap, FAO supported the importation of approximately 23 million vaccine doses in 2025. Between October 2025 and July 2026, the organization vaccinated 8.4 million animals, benefiting an estimated 537,000 households, or 2.7 million people. For the first time, FAO delivered vaccines through a cross-border supply corridor from Chad into Darfur.
The new campaign will also distribute vouchers for concentrated feed and mineral salt licks to eligible livestock owners. FAO's broader Sudan response encompasses crops and fisheries as well: during the 2024–2025 season, the organization reached more than 832,000 households across 15 states with over 8,000 tonnes of crop seeds, contributing to total grain production of 6.6 million tonnes. National cereal production has nonetheless remained 22–25 percent below average over the past three years. Climate forecasts additionally indicate a rainfall deficit of 30–40 percent linked to what is predicted to be the most significant El Niño event on record, which could further strain food production.
FAO's current emergency and resilience portfolio in Sudan stands at $44.1 million against an appeal of $193 million under its 2026–2028 Emergency Response Plan, with only 11 percent of emergency agriculture requirements under Sudan's 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan funded. "Preventing the outbreak and spread of animal diseases is one of the most cost-effective investments we can make. Protecting an animal today costs far less than replacing one tomorrow," Paulsen said, calling for increased international funding for emergency agriculture.
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