More Than One Million People in South Sudan Face Losing Vital Food Aid
More than one million vulnerable people in South Sudan could lose access to essential food and nutrition assistance by October unless additional funding is secured, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.
The UN agency said conflict, displacement, climate-related shocks and the ongoing war in neighbouring Sudan are combining to deepen the country’s humanitarian crisis, while reductions in international aid are making the situation even more difficult.
Matthew Hollingworth, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Operations, said 7.8 million people, representing more than half of South Sudan’s population, are currently struggling to find enough food each day.
He added that 2.2 million children and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women urgently require nutritional support, placing further pressure on an already overstretched humanitarian response.
“Unless additional resources are secured, more than a million vulnerable people could lose access to life-saving food and nutrition assistance by October,” Hollingworth told reporters at a press conference in Geneva. “So this is looming.”
The WFP is currently facing an $86 million funding shortfall, while the agency estimates that more than $400 million will be needed over the next six months to maintain its operations and continue supporting people facing severe food insecurity.
The funding crisis comes as South Sudan enters the height of its rainy season, a period when food supplies often become more difficult to obtain, prices increase and flooding makes transportation and humanitarian access more challenging.
Heavy rains and flooded roads can isolate communities and prevent aid organisations from reaching people who depend on food assistance. For families already struggling to survive, the worsening conditions are creating additional pressure.
Many households are being forced to cope by reducing the amount of food they eat, selling possessions and cutting spending on essential needs such as healthcare, education and shelter.
Hollingworth warned that the current situation represents a particularly serious moment for South Sudan, which has faced repeated humanitarian emergencies since gaining independence.
“While South Sudan is a country that has faced many challenges in its short life as an independent nation, we are seeing something different now,” he said. “We are about to drop off a financial cliff at a time when the needs are at the greatest level that they’ve been at for the past 13, 14 years.”
The WFP said food assistance remains critical to preventing the humanitarian situation from deteriorating further. However, the agency stressed that emergency aid should also help create a pathway towards longer-term recovery and greater resilience for communities.
The crisis has also been compounded by developments in neighbouring Sudan, where the ongoing conflict has driven large numbers of people across the border into South Sudan. The arrival of displaced populations has added to pressure on communities and humanitarian organisations that are already struggling with limited resources.
The WFP has called for urgent international support to close its funding gaps and maintain life-saving assistance to vulnerable populations.
At the same time, the agency urged the government of South Sudan to begin mobilising more of its own resources to support its population and contribute to addressing the country’s food and nutrition crisis.
With October approaching, the WFP warned that without additional funding, the loss of food and nutrition assistance could leave more than one million people facing an even greater risk of hunger and malnutrition.
