ReliefWeb

In Numbers

4.54 million people facing acute food insecurity from September to December 2019 (IPC)

2.1 million acutely malnourished women and children (HRP)

2.87 million people assisted by WFP in July 2019

1.83 million internally displaced people (OCHA)

2.31 million South Sudanese refugees (UNHCR)

184,794 seeking shelter with the UN (UNMISS)

Highlights

• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update, released jointly by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), finds 4.5 million people in South Sudan are still severely food insecure.

• WFP joined a delegation of donors, UN agencies, international and South Sudanese private sector, and international and South Sudanese NGOs at the African Green Revolution Forum in Accra last week.

Situation Update

• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published in September indicates that more than 4.5 million people (39 percent of the population) need food assistance. Acute food insecurity is driven by localized conflicts, climatic shocks, pests and diseases, lack of economic opportunities, eroded livelihoods and low coping capacity.

• The IPC report finds, acute malnutrition levels among children under five years of age have increased significantly, from 13 percent in 2018 to 16 percent in 2019 – which is above the emergency threshold of 15 percent. It is estimated that 1.3 million children will be affected by acute malnutrition in 2020. The high rates of malnutrition are attributed to several factors including high levels of food insecurity, poor infant and young child feeding practices as well as high morbidity due to a weak health system in the country.

• WFP participated in the African Green Revolution Forum in Accra last week. WFP presented on the role of the Partnership for Recovery and Resilience in tackling hunger and poverty in a conflict environment.