In South Sudan, the risk of famine remains elevated and food security is expected to worsen in 2018. It is critical to enable rapid food production among the most vulnerable communities, protect their livelihoods and build their resilience, while increasing self-sufficiency.

FAO is working with partners in the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster to:

Provide emergency support to protect and rebuild livelihoods during the main planting and dry seasons to improve the food security of vulnerable urban and rural populations and reduce the food gap.

Strengthen the collection, analysis and coordination of food security and agriculture information.

Worsening food security trends linked to continued conflict have been compounded by market failure, internal displacement and decreasing humanitarian access. To save lives in the coming year, the most vulnerable households need support to produce nutritious food for consumption and sale.

Humanitarian response succeeded in containing famine soon after it was declared in February 2017. However, there is an elevated risk of famine in 2018 if widespread support is not continued. From January to March 2018, the number of severely food insecure people is likely to climb to 5.1 million people. This follows the trend seen since conflict began--rates of food insecurity accelerating even during the harvest season. Food insecurity levels worsen further with each lean season, a time of year when food stocks are typically depleted, food prices are at their highest and heavy rains disrupt markets and restrict humanitarian access. In 2018, the lean season is expected to start three months earlier than normal. Malnutrition levels remain well above emergency thresholds in some areas.

Persistent insecurity and massive displacement have led to widespread disruption of livelihood activities, including agricultural, fisheries and livestock production, as well as limited access to local food markets among producers, traders and consumers. Exacerbated by climate extremes and a reduction in area planted, the national cereal gap has widened. The shortfall of about half a million tonnes in 2017 is likely to be similar in 2018. Trade and migration routes have been disrupted, and the risk and occurrence of livestock disease outbreaks has increased. Economic crisis, marked by drastic hyperinflation and market failures, has further destabilised food systems and household access to food and income. Supporting local food production will remain critical to preventing further deterioration of the food security situation in 2018.
