STORY: Home farming becomes alternative means of sustenance for Sudan residents
SHOOTING TIME: Aug. 25, 2024
DATELINE: Aug. 26, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:41
LOCATION: OMDURMAN, Sudan
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of a house in Omdurman city, Sudan
2. various of a local inspecting some vegetables
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): AHMED AL-NOUR AL-HAJ, Sudanese citizen
4. various of a woman performing home farming
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): NADIA EZZ EL-DIN, Sudanese citizen
6. various of vegetables grown at a home farm

STORYLINE:

Home farming, also known as indoor farming, has become an alternative means of sustenance for some people who remained in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum amid the country's ongoing conflict.

The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused food shortages and high commodity prices in Khartoum. Many residents have been forced to resort to home farming.

In northern Omdurman, north of Khartoum, Ahmed Al-Nour Al-Haj has turned his home into a small farm. He has grown hot peppers, mint, okra, and dates.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): AHMED AL-NOUR AL-HAJ, Sudanese citizen
"Home farming has helped us during the war by alleviating harsh living conditions and promoting self-reliance. I have cultivated hot peppers, mint, okra, and dates. Home farming has enabled us to achieve self-sufficiency."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): NADIA EZZ EL-DIN, Sudanese citizen
"I am a university student. I thought about doing something simple to support my family, so I decided to start planting. I began with basic items we need on a daily basis, like vegetables. I started with tomatoes and peppers, which bore fruit in a short time."

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 750,000 people in Sudan are experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. The organization deems that 25.6 million people, most of the country's population, is facing a hunger crisis.

The deadly conflict between the SAF and RSF began on April 15, 2023. It has resulted in the loss of at least 16,650 lives, according to UN statistics.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Omdurman, Sudan.
(XHTV)