Juba, South Sudan South Sudan is facing one of its worst hunger crises since independence, with conflict,
displacement, and unprecedented flooding driving millions to the brink of starvation. According to a new report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), nearly two-thirds of the population about 7.1 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, a figure that experts warn could rise further without urgent humanitarian intervention.
The IPC report highlights how a combination of protracted internal conflict and climate-induced disasters has decimated agricultural production and disrupted food supply chains across the world’s youngest nation. Persistent violence in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile states continues to displace farming communities, while heavy rains have submerged vast farmlands, destroyed crops, and killed livestock. The twin shocks have left millions dependent on aid for survival, straining the resources of humanitarian agencies operating in increasingly inaccessible areas.
“The situation is catastrophic and worsening,” said Marie Tino, a regional director at the World Food Programme (WFP). “Our teams are seeing families surviving on wild fruits and water lilies. Many have lost everything to floods and conflict.” The WFP and UNICEF are scaling up emergency food distributions and nutrition programs, but insecurity, poor infrastructure, and funding shortfalls continue to impede response efforts.
International observers warn that the crisis could deepen if immediate measures are not taken. South Sudan’s economy remains heavily reliant on oil exports, leaving it vulnerable to price shocks and supply disruptions. “The intersection of political instability and climate stress has pushed South Sudan into a dangerous cycle of hunger,” said James Owino, a humanitarian analyst based in Nairobi. “Long-term solutions must include peacebuilding, climate adaptation, and agricultural investment.”
The government of South Sudan has called for international support to strengthen food systems and rebuild flood-affected regions. As global attention shifts to other crises, aid agencies are urging donors not to overlook South Sudan’s silent catastrophe. Without sustained international assistance and domestic reforms, experts fear that famine-like conditions could re-emerge before the next planting season placing millions more lives at risk.