Food shortage imminent in South Sudan – FAO

The recent violence in South Sudan is threatening to increase hunger and human suffering considerably, unsettling modest gains made in food security in the past two years, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations warned in a statement made available to Daily Trust.

It said under the United Nations’ Crisis Response Plan, FAO and its partners in the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster are seeking $61 million about N9,760,000,000 for crucial food assistance and livelihood activities.

The organization said it focuses on getting seeds, livestock vaccines, fishing gear and other agricultural inputs, technologies and services to vulnerable rural and urban families whose food production and income activities are being disrupted by conflict and the displacement of people. FAO is also engaging in mitigating the environmental impact of displacement.

“The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has deteriorated rapidly since fighting broke out in mid-December, causing not only the loss of life and displacement, but also disrupting agricultural development and humanitarian activities crucial to the survival and future livelihoods of millions. The impacts on diversified livelihoods in four of South Sudan’s 10 states are generating an alarming risk of food insecurity and malnutrition.

“It is essential that security and stability return to South Sudan immediately so that displaced people can return to their homes, fields, herds and fishing grounds. Timing is everything; there are fish in the rivers now, pastoralists are trying to protect their herds and the planting season for maize, groundnut and sorghum starts in March,” said Sue Lautze, FAO representative in South Sudan, the agency’s newest member country.

“Even before the recent fighting, which has displaced more than 352 ,000 people, some 4.4 million people were already estimated to be facing food insecurity in South Sudan in 2014. Of those, 830,000 were facing acute food insecurity,” said Dominique Burgeon, Director of FAO’s Emergency and Rehabilitation Division,” the statement read in part.