Kapoeta State is facing serious hunger and shortage of water, the state governor has said.

Louis Lobong says this hunger crisis started since last year due to poor harvests because of poor rainfall.

Mr Lobong, who says he has been making the appeals for assistance since last year, called upon both the national government and humanitarian agencies to rescue the situation.

“We still continue to appeal to the humanitarian agencies, the national government, and the business community to come and bring food items to the state of Kapoeta,” he told Eye Radio Tuesday.

Mr Lobong said he has been making the appeals for assistance since last year and is yet to get a response.

The situation is often attributed to the area climate, which is considered to be a local steppe climate. During the year there is little rainfall.

According to Köppen and Geiger, this climate is classified as BSh. The average annual temperature is 26.1 °C. About 657 mm of precipitation falls annually.

A mainly cattle-rearing community, life becomes difficult for both the residents and livestock, especially during this time of the year when water points (rivers) dry up. Subsistence farming also becomes difficult.