Khartoum, Sudan – Rasha Abdelaziz Musa works every day for seven hours selling tea. But by the time she finishes for the day at ۱۰pm, she’s still unsure if she has enough to feed her four children.
Musa, ۳۹, is doing her best, but her earnings are increasingly no longer enough to cover soaring food prices in the Sudanese capital.
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Her husband, a member of the Sudanese military, has spent more than eight months on the front lines of the country’s war, in which the military has been fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since ۲۰۲۳. Musa has not heard from him for months, and he has sent no money.
In his absence, Musa has been left to provide for their children, who attend kindergarten, primary and secondary school.
Musa told Al Jazeera that feeding her family costs about ۴۰,۰۰۰ Sudanese pounds per day ($۴ at the parallel-market exchange rate) before accounting for rent, household essentials and other expenses.
Some of the family staples are ful medames, a dish of stewed fava beans, or lentils. When lentils are too expensive, Musa serves taamiya, or falafel, sandwiches.
Prices regularly change, and Musa often ends the day in debt to the traders she gets her food from.
Large families struggle
Musa is not alone in struggling to cover her family’s daily expenses.
Ahmed Youssef, ۶۱, supports a family of ۱۲ through his work in a butcher’s shop and as an occasional intermediary in livestock sales. He can earn ۹۰,۰۰۰ to ۱۴۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۹ to $۱۴) when a deal succeeds, but that income is irregular.
He told Al Jazeera that his household spends more than ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ Sudanese pounds ($۱۰) daily and his income is no longer enough to support the family.
“One income is no longer enough to cover the family’s needs, and sometimes my older children have to work to help meet expenses,” Youssef told Al Jazeera.
Ali Fadil supports a family of ۱۰. Without a permanent job, he goes to the market each morning to look for work. Some days, the ۵۷-year-old earns enough to buy food, but on other days, he finds no work at all. And yet his daily expenses still reach about ۷۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۷), with rising prices adding to the financial pressure he faces.
“Sometimes I skip meals so I can pay for school fees or medical costs,” he said. “I also borrow money to meet other obligations.”
Food prices rise as Sudanese pound weakens
A survey of four local markets in the Khartoum State area by Al Jazeera last week found that prices for several essential foods had risen sharply within days, making it increasingly difficult for families to plan their spending.
A kilogramme (۲.۲.lb) of sugar cost about ۱۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۱), up from ۹,۰۰۰ pounds ($۰.۹۰) two days earlier. A litre (۱ quart) of cooking oil rose to ۲۵,۰۰۰ pounds ($۲.۵۰) from ۲۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۲) while a loaf of bread costs ۵۰۰ pounds ($۰.۰۵), compared with ۳۰۰ pounds ($۰.۰۳) a week earlier.
Lentils cost about ۱۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۱) per kilogramme, up from ۸,۰۰۰ pounds ($۰.۸۰), and rice was priced at ۱۳,۰۰۰ pounds ($۱.۳۰) per kilogramme, up from ۱۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۱). Powdered milk reached ۷۰,۰۰۰ pounds ($۷) per kilogramme, up from ۶۰,۰۰۰ ($۶) two days earlier.
The Sudanese pound has also continued to weaken. According to exchange rates monitored by Al Jazeera, $۱ was trading at ۱۰,۰۵۰ Sudanese pounds on the parallel market on Friday, compared with ۹,۵۰۰ the previous day.
Food inflation adds to pressure on households
Official figures offer further evidence of the rising cost of living, particularly in Khartoum and other urban areas.
According to Sudan’s Central Bureau of Statistics, prices across the country were ۲۸ percent higher in September than a year earlier, up from ۲۶ percent in August. Prices rose by ۷.۵ percent in September alone, more than double the increase recorded the previous month.
Food prices have risen even faster. Across Sudan, food and beverages cost nearly ۳۷ percent more in September than a year earlier, up from an annual increase of about ۲۱ percent in August. In September alone, food prices jumped by more than ۱۷ percent.
The situation was particularly severe in Khartoum State, where prices were nearly ۶۰ percent higher than a year earlier. Prices rose by more than ۱۵ percent in September alone, following an increase of nearly ۹ percent in August.
That sharp increase comes as the capital region struggles to recover from widespread destruction caused by the war. Although displaced residents have begun returning and businesses are gradually reopening since the military recaptured the state from the RSF last year, damaged infrastructure and rising transport costs continue to constrain the availability of goods.
The return of residents has also increased demand for essential supplies, further driving up prices. In September, fuel shortages hit the capital as consumption rose faster than supplies could be replenished.
Urban areas have generally been hit harder than rural communities. Food prices in towns and cities were ۵۵ percent higher than a year earlier, up from about ۴۰ percent in August. Overall, prices in urban areas rose by ۴۰ percent over the past year, compared with about ۲۱ percent in rural areas.
The war is the main driver of these increases, disrupting livelihoods and supply chains. According to the World Bank, Sudan’s economy shrank by an estimated ۲۹ percent in ۲۰۲۳ and a further ۱۴ percent in ۲۰۲۴ as the war devastated businesses, disrupted agricultural production and eliminated jobs.
The conflict has also forced millions of people from their homes with nearly ۸.۹ million people still internally displaced as of April, according to the International Organization for Migration.
War destroys livelihoods
Journalist and economic affairs specialist Khalid Teks said Sudan’s economic deterioration began long before the war. Falling oil production after South Sudan’s secession in ۲۰۱۱ worsened conditions as did the depreciation of the pound, cash shortages, international isolation, political conflict and corruption in the years preceding the removal of President Omar al-Bashir in ۲۰۱۹.
Teks said political instability during the power transition undermined Sudan’s economic performance, and deep reforms were not implemented before war broke out in ۲۰۲۳. The conflict devastated infrastructure and productive sectors, depleted savings and disrupted economic activity. The climate has also been a factor. Strong agricultural production in ۲۰۲۴ was followed by concern over limited rainfall this year and possible food shortages after the harvest begins in November.
Teks told Al Jazeera that families increasingly deplete their savings and sell their possessions to cover everyday expenses.
He also pointed to disruptions to remittance channels, which many Sudanese households rely on for financial support.
Teks called for easier humanitarian access, an end to the war, direct support for vulnerable households and low-interest loans for small businesses and craft enterprises.
“The government needs to provide direct support through dedicated funds and the Zakat Chamber, facilitate humanitarian organisations and offer affordable loans for small businesses and vocational activities,” Teks said. “This could help reopen markets and workshops and expand microfinance.
