Years of Conflict Puts South Sudan on the Brink of Famine

Mar 6, 2018 | Oxfam
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While famine was not declared in the latest IPC food security report released last week, the food crisis is worse than ever, with more than 6.3 million people struggling to get enough to eat. 1.3 million more people are facing severe food insecurity than when famine was declared this time last year. It is clear that years of conflict are fueling this hunger crisis, and the international community must find a way to negotiate peace. A surge in humanitarian aid last year meant that famine was pushed back by the middle of 2017. Still, nearly half the population remained severely food insecure by December—even at the time of year when food is supposed to be most plentiful. Now, a few months later, the situation has deteriorated significantly. South Sudan’s agricultural production has plummeted as the result of relentless fighting, and many cannot even manage to grow enough to feed themselves, let alone to sell or trade for other essentials. Conflict is driving the economy into the ground, which is in turn driving hunger. Water and sanitation are crucial to tackling the crisis in South Sudan - unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene can be deadly when paired with hunger. They can cause diarrhea, cholera, and other diseases, which quickly cause dehydration and prevent already unhealthy people from absorbing nutrients from the little food they do eat. And in a vicious cycle, malnutrition then weakens the immune system, making the body more susceptible to disease.