FAO: 2.2 Million S. Sudanese At Risk Of Starvation In 2012 At least 2.2 million people in South Sudan will face food insecurity this year, an assessment report issued yesterday by the Food and Agriculture Organization, (FAO) and the World Food Program, (WFP) has said. 03 February 2012 FAO: 2.2 Million S. Sudanese At Risk Of Starvation In 2012 Staffs from FAO, WFP and other partners during the launching of the report in Juba [©Gurtong]
By Waakhe Simon Wudu JUBA, 3rd February 2012 [Gurtong] - At least 2.2 million people in South Sudan will face food insecurity this year, an assessment report issued yesterday by the Food and Agriculture Organization, (FAO) and the World Food Program, (WFP) has said. Meanwhile the report estimates that, one million people are food insecure this year, due to the current insecurity threats and peace instability in the country, at least 1.2 million others are likely to be affected. The FAO and WFP assessment report was conducted in 2011 between October and November at the request of the South Sudan National Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. “If conflict continues to cause major population displacements and food prices keep soaring, the Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to South Sudan, (CFSAM ) report estimates the number of severely food insecure people could rise from one million to 2.2 million,” said Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Country Director in South Sudan. “This is a rapidly approaching crisis that the world cannot afford to ignore,” said Mr. Nikoi. “The situation is dire, and we are doing everything we can to be ready, but we are running out of time,” Nikoi added. Poor harvests, increased demand, sharp rising food prices, conflict, displacements and a large number of returnees have all contributed to the situation with a shortfall in cereal production weighing heavily on already distressed commodities, the CFSAM statement read. According to the assessment, South Sudan’s cereal production in 2011 was about 19% below the previous year and 25% lower than average for the last five years. The cereal deficit for 2012 is estimated at more than 470,000 metric tons – almost half of the country’s total consumption requirements for the year. Poor rainfall in the early season was largely responsible for the lower harvest, with ongoing conflict compounding the problem by disrupting normal agricultural activities. Meanwhile a senior government official from the Ministry of Agriculture has concurred with the report; he said that the massive return of South Sudanese displaced to Sudan in the recent days is a major cause of the situation. He also added that, floods in Jonglei last year stood as a contributing factor. The UN Deputy Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs, Liz Grande said that, the food insecurity expected this year is big and that it needs collective and coordinated efforts from all stakeholders. “The problem is so big that only through a massive operation that is well coordinated and through which the burden is shared we will be able to address,” Grande said. Posted in: Home -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
