Towards an Early Warning System in Sudan

Successive years of drought in parts of Sudan have since 1983 caused famine social upheavals and disruption and widespread health problems. National and international emergency responses to the problems have been impeded by a lack of strategic and tactical information inadequate planning and an absence of preparedness. A 2-year project was therefore launched to develop an early warning system (EWS) within and for the government of Sudan to monitor agro-meteorological and socioeconomic data indicative of a developing food crisis. The EWS will also monitor the course of an existing crisis. This paper describes the project to develop and establish the EWS and presents the results of some initial data analyses. Observations are made on the indicators which appear to signal the approach of a food crisis including rainfall cereal and livestock prices and market throughput.