Children take porridge their mother prepared with the food she received at a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution site in Pibor, South Sudan. Photo credit: WFP

Nearly eight out of 10 South Sudanese live in poverty and an estimated 60 percent of South Sudanese face severe acute food insecurity or worse.

This, according to UN agencies and the World Bank in South Sudan –WORLDBANK

South Sudan is ranked as one of the world’s poorest countries, plagued with fragility, conflict, and violence.

This year, South Sudan faced many challenges from dealing with the devastating effects of COVID-19, desert locust invasion, and flooding.

These events are said to have contributed to increased food insecurity and further exacerbated malnutrition for millions of people.

On Monday, a civil society organization described the looming hunger as an impending security threat to the country.

Activist Edmund Yakani termed looming hunger as an impending security threat – LOOMING-HUNGER

The United Nations and South Sudan government said on Saturday, April 2, 2022, that extreme weather conditions, increased armed violence, and the number of internally displaced people have led to increased food insecurity, which had worsened since last year.

According to the UN report, the above factors have left more than 7.7 people in South Sudan to face food security from April this year.

In March, the UN appealed to international donors to raise $1.7bn in aid needed for South Sudan to provide urgent, life-saving assistance to help millions through 2022 – EYERADIO