Farmers from Habila in Sudan’s South Kordofan state face an uncertain future as local authorities in the state have prevented them from cultivating their land, because they reside in areas under the control of the rebel group, SPLM-N.

A number of farmers who spoke to Radio Tamazuj said that the security services in Habila have been preventing farmers’ cultivation since last year because of civil war in the state. Much of the western part of the state has a strong SPLM-N presence and residents feel they are being targeted.

One source feared that the area would be engulfed by famine if people were not allowed to grow crops again this year.

“Nobody is allowed to cultivate in the western part at all. I am one of those who has failed agriculture there. If people don’t cultivate this year, then next year people will evacuate this area and a great famine will overflow the area,” one farmer cautioned.

This, along with complaints of a lack of fuel in other areas of the state, has prompted civilians to call for intervention in order to address any barriers to subsistence agriculture. Habila lies in Dilling county, where residents normally cultivate sorghum, maize, sesame, ground nuts and beans seasonally to coincide with the rains.

Residents of South Kordofan state, along with neighbouring Blue Nile have been suffering from the impact of civil war between various rebel groups and the government’s armed forces (SAF) since 2011 and 2012, respectively.