South Sudan: Hunger crisis deepens
New analysis by the World Food Programme shows food shortages are worsening in South Sudan, and the percentage of acutely malnourished children continues to grow.
The organisation’s latest South Sudan Food Security Monitoring Report from June - July 2012 says that half of assessed households are food insecure and 14 per cent are severely food insecure.
About 20 per cent of children under 5 in assessed households are suffering from acute malnutrition.
The food situation is expected to improve following harvests due to begin in October, bolstered by higher than average rainfall.
However, these gains will be offset by the fact that areas under cultivation have been reduced due to insecurity and population displacement.
To meet the continuing needs, World Vision distributed 7,952 tons of food between April and July, benefitting more than 520,000 people across five states.
The food aid includes therapeutic and supplementary food for malnourished children.
Mario Rodrigues, World Vision’s food aid manager, says that the organisation’s food distributions will continue through December.
But he warns that current heavy rains have clogged dirt roads, making it increasingly difficult to truck supplies to some areas, notably in Warrap and Unity states, which have been affected by flooding.
Struggling to build a new nation
Food shortages in South Sudan have been exacerbated by poor harvests and ongoing conflict with Sudan over oil reserves in disputed territories.
This has led to sporadic outbursts of fighting, forcing thousands to flee border areas, and led to the closure of the South Sudan/Sudan border to commercial traffic, leading to food and fuel shortages.
To complicate matters, South Sudan is dependent on Sudan’s oil pipelines, refineries, and other infrastructure to export its oil.
Sudan has accused South Sudan of not paying the oil transit fees for the use of its facilities and started seizing South Sudan oil in lieu of those fees. In response, South Sudan accused Sudan of stealing its oil.
In January 2012, South Sudan shut down oil production completely, even though oil accounts for more than 98 per cent of government revenues. The shutdown sparked a series of economic shocks including rising food and fuel prices and cuts to agriculture, health, and education services.
In addition, the country is beset by internal tribal conflicts that have displaced tens of thousands of people and disrupted food production.
Meanwhile, since South Sudan became an independent state last year, the country struggles to cope with the arrival of 400,000 returnees — many of whom struggle to access food and other essential supplies.
The South Sudan National Bureau of Statistics reports that food prices in June this year had increased by 73 per cent compared to the same month last year.