FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

South Sudan faces a severe hunger crisis, with an estimated 7.8 million people experiencing acute food insecurity. Women and children bear the brunt of this emergency, suffering from mass displacement, recurrent climate shocks, and disease outbreaks that drive alarming rates of acute malnutrition. For children, the nutrition situation has continued to worsen. Currently, 2.2 million children aged 6 months to five years old are suffering from acute malnutrition, an increase of 100,000 cases when compared to six months ago. Through July this year, 700,000 children are projected to face severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form. Similarly, 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished, placing both mothers and infants at heightened risk. Severe food shortages increase the risk of maternal mortality, stillbirths, and low birth weights, creating an intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. Nearly 70% of acute malnutrition cases are concentrated in heavily affected states like Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, Unity, and Warrap. Over 50% of children under five suffer from a heavy disease burden, including concurrent outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and diarrhea, which severely inhibit the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. 

Our key interventions include;

Emergency food assistance is delivered through direct monthly rations of basic staples or via flexible cash and voucher transfers that empower families to buy preferred food items and support local economies.

Implement integrated Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and WASH interventions in highly affected states like Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile to treat malnutrition and concurrent diseases in children, lactating and pregnant mothers.

Support building agricultural resilience and household food security by providing essential farming and fishing supplies, facilitating localized seed vouchers, executing vital livestock vaccination campaigns, and training communities in sustainable food preservation. 

Support community Asset Creation and Food/Cash for Assets (FFA) initiative where individuals receive food or cash in exchange for participating in public works—such as road rehabilitation and dyke construction—that simultaneously provide immediate relief and reduce long-term disaster risk.