UN: 4 Million South Sudanese May Struggle To Eat This Year

[HuffingtonPost]

* Four million at risk of going hungry                

* At least one million dependent on aid                

By Hereward Holland                

JUBA, March 1 (Reuters) - More than four million South  Sudanese, a third of the African country's population, may go  hungry at some point in 2013 despite a higher harvest last year,  the United Nations said on Friday.                

South Sudan's cereal deficit will be 371,000 tonnes, just  over one-third of its total cereal requirement, despite an  increase in output thanks to good rains and higher sown area,  the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World  Food Program (WFP) said in a report.                

Commercial imports will cover some of this year's deficit,  but high prices and poor infrastructure will make one million  dependent on 224,000 tonnes of food aid planned by the WFP, the  report said.                

The lack of roads and widespread tribal and rebel violence  mean four million will be at risk of not getting enough to eat,  it said.                

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011,  is one of the world's least-developed countries after decades of  civil war with Khartoum ended after a peace deal in 2005.                

In a country the size of France where only 4.5 percent of  the land is cultivated, farming is often hampered by tribal and  rebel violence.                

South Sudan's ability to import food has also been hit since  the government turned off oil production a year ago in a row  with Sudan over pipeline fees, depriving the country of what was  its virtually only source of income and dollars to buy food  abroad.                

"South Sudan has tremendous agricultural potential, and the  improved harvest estimate is good news, but the country's  overall food security situation remains very precarious," WFP  country director Chris Nikoi said in a joint statement with FAO.                

Over 80 percent of the estimated 11.8 million South Sudanese   do not earn wages and are predominantly farmers or tend  livestock, according to the World Bank.                

But cattle rustling, conflicts between communities and raids  by rebel groups continue to hamper farming, the report said. At  least 2,600 people have been killed in violence since  independence, the U.N. says.                

More than 200,000 people have also fled to South Sudan to  escape fighting between the army and rebels in the Sudanese  states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, stretching resources in  the young republic.                

"We must redouble efforts to improve the livelihoods of the  poorest and most vulnerable South Sudanese, and ensure they can  produce their own food or can afford to buy food to meet their  needs, and are more resilient to shocks," Nikoi said.     (Reporting by Herewerd Holland; Editing by Jason Webb)        (Reporting by Herewerd Holland; Editing by Jason Webb)

Via: HuffingtonPost

[Shola Sholaz]

This is no good news to South Sudanese citizens. This is not something they'll love to hear at this time of the year