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WFP South Sudan Country Brief, September 2019

Countries
South Sudan
+ 1 more
Sources
WFP
Publication date
Origin
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In Numbers

28,577 mt of food and nutrition assistance distributed*

US$ 5.39 m in cash-based transfers made*

US$ 421 m six months (October ‘19 – March ‘20) net funding requirements

3.28 m people assisted* *in August 2019

Operational Updates

• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published in September indicates that more than 4.5 million people (39 percent of the population) are likely to be in need food assistance. Acute food insecurity is driven by impact of localized conflicts and climatic shocks, lack of economic opportunities, eroded livelihoods and low coping capacity. Compared to the same period in 2018, there is a slight reduction in the proportion of people facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity by an estimated 5 percent. Although the food security situation remains very severe, the recent improvement can largely be attributed to the Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS), signed in September 2018. The decrease in armed conflict has encouraged the voluntary return of farmers, increasing access to livelihoods and improving markets. A more stable political environment has also allowed for improved delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations.

• The IPC report also points outs that levels of acute malnutrition 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 access to health, poor infant and young child feeding practices as well as high morbidity.

• WFP and cooperating partners reached approximately 3.28 million people (86 percent of planned) with a total of approximately 28,577 mt of assorted food commodities (90 percent of planned) and US$ 5.39 million in cash during the month of August (101 percent of the planned).

• Under the Integrated Rapid Response Mechanism (IRRM), WFP and cooperating partners assisted some 291,948 beneficiaries in hard-to-reach areas with 5,409 mt of food during the month of August.