Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise across the flood, drought, and conflict-affected areas of South Sudan, the United Nations (UN) warns. In a joint statement Thursday, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that some communities are likely to face starvation if humanitarian assistance is not sustained and climate adaptation measures are not scaled-up.
The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), released Thursday, shows about two-thirds of the South Sudanese population (7.8 million people) are likely to face acute food insecurity during the April-July 2023 lean season while 1.4 million children will be malnourished. This includes a projected 2.9 million people, facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) and another 43,000 women, men and children, who are threatened by famine (IPC Phase 5).
The UN agencies say the deterioration in food security and high prevalence of malnutrition is linked to a combination of conflict, poor macroeconomic conditions, spiraling costs of food and extreme climate events. The unprecedented, multi-year flood sweeping the country is exacerbating already high levels of hunger caused by ongoing conflict and the global food crisis. Over the past three years, floods have dramatically affected an increasing number of people across South Sudan. Central parts of the country, which are the most heavily impacted by multiyear flooding, are the areas with the highest levels of food insecurity.
At the same time, there has been a decline in funding for humanitarian programs despite the steady rise in humanitarian needs. According to the UN organizations, resources for the 2023 humanitarian response in South Sudan are urgently needed within the next few months or they will be unable to preposition humanitarian assistance in time for the next year, leaving millions of families at risk of spiraling deeper into hunger.
South Sudan is in the midst of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis driven by years of brutal civil war. With 4.6 million people forcibly displaced, South Sudan has the highest proportion - 40 percent - of its population displaced of any country in Africa. Nearly 2.5 million people have fled to neighboring countries, while 2,1 million people are internally displaced. South Sudan is also facing a major hunger crisis. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 8.9 million people are in need of humanitarian aid in 2022. Extensive flooding, violence and disease outbreak continue to impact people across the country.
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. The UN agency, awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, is saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to support people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. The World Food Programme works in over 120 countries and territories. For millions of people worldwide, WFP assistance can make the difference between life and death.
UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, is the agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. Created in 1946 as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, UNICEF is today one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to protect children’s rights.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an international organization that coordinates and advances international efforts to combat hunger and improve food security and nutrition worldwide. The organization was founded on October 16, 1945 and consists of 195 members. Headquartered in Rome, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
Further information
Full text: Hunger and malnutrition being driven by climate crisis and conflict in South Sudan, joint news release by FAO, UNICEF and WFP, published November 3, 2022
https://www.wfp.org/news/hunger-and-malnutrition-being-driven-climate-crisis-and-conflict-south-sudan
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), South Sudan Acute Food Insecurity Malnutrition October 2022 Snapshot, released November 3, 2022
https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_South_Sudan_Acute_Food_Insecurity_Malnutrition_Oct2022_Snapshot.pdf
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