South Sudan warns food crisis developing into famine
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By Ngor Arol Garang
October 6, 2011 (JUBA) - South Sudan said Wednesday that the ongoing
food crisis in the newly independent country could develop into a
famine if no immediate remedies are taken.
Joseph Lual Acuil, South Sudan’s minister of Humanitarian Affairs and
Disaster Management told a weekly media briefing in Juba that “lower
harvests due to unreliable rains coupled with the rising food prices
world-wide, have created a severe food shortage leaving more than 1.3
million in need of food aid."
As of September 26 the UN estimate that 342,000 South Sudanese have
returned to the country since last autumn, many of whom require food
aid. In July South Sudan seceded from the north following a referendum
in January.
The minister said that the greater Equatoria region had been the worst
effected by the late rains this year. Insecurity, returnees from north
Sudan and newly displaced people from the contested region Abyei and
Jonglei state have all added to the food crisis.
Acuil said his ministry has attempted to address the problem by
sending aid to Agok in Northern Bahr el Ghazal where many of the
110,000 people displaced from Abyei and its surrounding areas are
residing.
“I just spoken to the chief administrator and he confirmed arrival of
some of the trucks", the minister said.
Flash floods in Agok in early September "compounded an already
difficult situation for people displaced by conflict in Abyei in May
this year" a recent UN report said.
"Food insecurity of the affected households continued to be of concern
as the people displaced from Abyei are largely dependent on food
assistance" the September 26 report found.
The minister also said that food aid was also being sent to Uror
county in Jonglei State, where fighting in August killed around 600
people and displaced over 20,000, the UN estimates.
Minister Acuil described the food gap as more serious than normal
humanitarian reports issued in South Sudan about people habitually
defined as “food insecure.”
"The people at ‘severe risk’ may either not have enough food to eat,
enough money to buy seed to plant or enough money to buy food. The
prices are increasing almost every hour. I am in Wau, Western Bahr el
Ghazal, nobody can get food at eleven o’clock in the morning because
people queue up at the restaurant and other local hotels for food”,
the minister added.
In many parts of the Republic of South Sudan, he said, food prices
have gone up due drought and the closure of supply routes with north
Sudan after partition. The situation is especially bad in the areas
closest to the border with Sudan.
An agreement between North and South Sudan to create ten points for
trade and for people to move between the two countries has yet to be
implemented.
Minister Acuil said his government was working with donors to invest
in irrigation systems to increase crop production.
"Urgent action is needed to prevent a looming humanitarian and food
crisis in this country", said Acuil.
He added that more than 11,000 people returning to South Sudan are in
Renk awaiting transportation, explaining that local resources have
been overstretched.
(ST)
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