Funds released for humanitarian needs in Jebel Marra

Khartoum, Sudan | 21 August 2014, The Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund has allocated US $400,000 to the Danish Refugee Council to address food insecurity affecting some 15,000 people in the Jebel Marra area of Central Darfur.

In light of significant humanitarian needs in Nertiti and Rokero localities, the Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) provided the Danish Refugee Council with US $400,000 to address food insecurity affecting some 15,000 people in the Jebel Marra area of Central Darfur.

The Jebel Marra area has been largely inaccessible to the humanitarian community for over three years, however recently humanitarian agencies have been permitted to provide much needed assistance to some parts of Nertiti and Rokero localities. Amongst other factors, poor recent harvests have led to severe food shortages in these areas.

The Danish Refugee Council’s activities will contribute to both short and long-term improvement of food security in the area by reducing morbidity and mortality and improving food production. These activities include the capacity building of local farmers, particularly women and elderly, through the provision of seeds for crop production and the use of sustainable management practices.

"The humanitarian situation in Jabal Marra has significantly deteriorated over the past three year due to environmental factors, in addition to, the difficulties of humanitarian workers reaching remote areas," said Ali Al-Zatari, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator. "The CHF money will help the Danish Refugee Council reach 1,000's of people who are in need of basic assistance."

The Sudan CHF, established in 2006, is a multi-donor pooled fund that supports the timely allocation and disbursement of funds to Sudan’s most critical humanitarian needs. To date, the Sudan CHF has received and granted over one billion dollars to international, national NGOs, UN Agencies, Funds and Programs enabling them to implement projects in the Sudan Strategic Response Plan.