South Sudan hunger crisis worsens: 7.8 million face severe food insecurity, 2.2 million children malnourished
World Vision South Sudan calls for urgent action to prevent further deterioration
Juba, South Sudan | May 2026 — Following the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report projecting that 7.8 million people in South Sudan will face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity between April and July 2026, World Vision South Sudan joins humanitarian actors across the country in raising alarm over the rapidly worsening hunger situation and calling for urgent action to prevent further deterioration.
“World Vision is deeply concerned, especially for children. No child should go hungry. Yet today, millions are suffering from malnutrition,” said Mesfin Loha, World Vision South Sudan Country Director.
According to the latest IPC analysis, an estimated 7.8 million people—56 per cent of South Sudan’s population—are projected to face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and above) between April and July 2026. The report further warns that famine remains a real risk in the most severely affected areas if urgent action is not taken.
Children continue to bear the brunt of the crisis. Approximately 2.2 million children aged 6–59 months are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition, including nearly 700,000 children at risk of severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition if left untreated. An additional 1.1 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are also expected to be acutely malnourished.
The IPC analysis also indicates that approximately 73,000 people are already facing IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) across parts of Jonglei and Upper Nile states, where communities are experiencing extreme hunger, heightened mortality risk, and collapse of livelihoods.
The crisis is being driven by a convergence of factors, including escalating violence, widespread displacement, economic hardship, and climate-related shocks. Persistent insecurity in parts of Upper Nile, Jonglei, Unity, and Equatoria continues to force families from their homes, destroy livelihoods, and restrict access to markets and humanitarian assistance.
At the same time, rising inflation and economic instability have severely reduced household purchasing power, while recurring floods and erratic weather patterns continue to disrupt agricultural production. The ongoing influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan is placing additional pressure on already overstretched services and fragile local systems.
In response, World Vision South Sudan is scaling up life-saving and resilience-focused interventions across affected communities in Upper Nile, Greater Bahr el Ghazal, Western and Central Equatoria. Working closely with government authorities, humanitarian partners, and local communities, World Vision is providing emergency food assistance, nutrition screening and treatment for malnourished children and mothers, livelihood support, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
However, World Vision warns that current humanitarian efforts are increasingly being overwhelmed by the scale of need.
“Ending hunger in South Sudan requires more than just food aid; it demands peace, protection, and collaboration. No single organisation can tackle this crisis alone. We also call for unrestricted humanitarian access and increased funding to ensure that people not only survive but thrive,” added Mesfin.
World Vision also emphasised that ongoing insecurity and access constraints are severely disrupting humanitarian operations and limiting the delivery of life-saving support to some of the hardest-hit communities.
“As violence continues to escalate in many parts of South Sudan, without immediate intervention, the crisis could spiral further, leaving millions more at risk,” said Mesfin.
The latest IPC findings underscore the urgency of scaling up coordinated humanitarian action across South Sudan.
Media contact:
Diwa Aquino-Gacosta (diwa_aquino-gacosta@wvi.org)
Senior Manager, Advocacy and Communications
World Vision South Sudan