By Deng Machol
JUBA, South Sudan (PAV) – At least 7.1 million people in South Sudan are projected to have acute food insecurity amid the United States (U.S) humanitarian funds cut next year.
According to a report released by the National Ministry of Agriculture, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, and the UN children agency UNICEF, 7.1 million people, about 56.3 percent of South Sudanese are projected to face acute food insecurity through the 2024 lean season.
The latest Integrated Food Security Clarification (IPC), this year’s projections show a decline in the number of acutely food-insecure people from 7.76 million people in 2022 to 2023.
The aid partners attributed the drop to the relative calm in parts of Jonglei, Warrap, and Western Equatorial as well as to investment in infrastructure.
“An estimated 7.1 million people, 56.3 percent of the population will likely face crisis or worse acute food insecurity, with 79,000 people likely to be in catastrophe acute food insecurity and among the population of returnees from Sudan,” said Josephine Joseph Lagu, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
The lean-season projection from April to July 2024 indicates that 38 counties and an estimated 98,000 returnees will face Emergency acute food insecurity, while 38 counties will experience Crisis acute food insecurity.
South Sudan is currently struggling with its crises including an influx of Sudanese refugees. More than 300,000 people arrived in South Sudan.
“Returnees fleeing Sudan are facing some of the highest levels of food insecurity. Despite only accounting for 3 percent of the population, they represent 35 percent of those facing emergency levels of hunger through the lean season,” the report said.
In nutrition, the classification also showed an estimated 1.65 million children of about 6 to 59 months who are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition from July 2023 to June 2024.
Mary-Ellen McGroarty, a country director for WFP says there is a huge mountain to climb to save lives.
“We will prioritize populations living with the most severe levels of food insecurity and malnutrition with a portfolio of interventions to address immediate needs,” said McGroarty.
Meanwhile, Katherine Crawford, the mission Director of USAID South Sudan announced that the global emergencies have forced them to re-channel the aid elsewhere.
“The worldwide demands on our humanitarian funds will necessitate a significant budget reduction here in South Sudan from 2024,” said Crawford.
This will mean reducing food assistance and cutting food aid in some areas.
“These changes will be extremely difficult for affected communities and for the dedicated humanitarians who ensure direct aid delivery,” the USAID added.
Despite that, Crawford further assured that the U.S. remains deeply committed to the well-being of the South Sudanese people.
The USAID head urges the transitional government to assume its responsibilities; to find durable and sustainable solutions; to reduce the number of IDPs and conflict-affected populations; and to meet the most basic needs of the people of South Sudan.
The food crises were fueled by frequent climate shocks, the economic crisis, conflict and insecurity, low agricultural production, and the effects of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
South Sudan has been embroiled in civil war for much of its history. Nearly 400,000 South Sudanese died as a result of the conflict that began in December 2013.
After many delays, President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar, turned vice president signed in 2018 led to the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2020 but is yet to end the suffering of people and transition the country into a democratic nation.
