**4. Republic of South Sudan**

### **4.1 Political, economic and social situation**

South Sudan has a population of about 12 million people [30]. It has suffered ethnic violence and has been in a civil war since 2013, only two years after gaining its independence from Sudan.

Its weather is tropical and is characterized by a rainy season of high humidity and large amounts of rainfall, followed by a drier season. July tends to be the coolest month with average temperatures falling between 20 and 30°C, while March is the warmest month with average temperatures ranging from 23 to 37°C. Much of the annual rainfall comes between May and October, though rainy season sometimes commences in April and extends to November [30], thus making May the wettest month. The country's weather is "influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Zone and the shift to southerly and southwesterly winds" leading to slightly lower environmental temperatures, higher humidity and heavy cloud cover [30].

South Sudan has a predominantly rural and subsistence economy. The region has been negatively affected by war since 1956, resulting in low infrastructure development, and major properties' destruction and displacements of populations. More than 2 million people are reported to have died, and, more than 4 million are internally displaced persons, or have become refugees as a result of the civil war [30]. It is estimated that there are more than 1.5 million persons out of the country. Improved education is needed to pave the way for greater economic opportunities and reduce South Sudan's reliance on oil and gas. South Sudan's recovering education system still faces many challenges, which are exacerbated by famine and the ongoing violence [31], in addition to the poor infrastructure, lack of qualified teaching and administrative staff and amenities in schools, etc.

#### **4.2 Food and nutrition security**

South Sudan has a cyclical food security situation that is typical of a tropical country with a rainy and a dry season. The ongoing conflict has also altered the natural dynamics and has made the implementation of the usual coping strategies difficult. Food shortages disappear or reduce substantially, depending on the State, after the rainy season and during harvest. In the following dry season, food shortages are evident requiring some assistance to fill the food security gaps.

Since the ongoing conflict started in 2013, the food and nutrition security situation has remained at the most compromised level. The combination of conflict, economic crisis and lack of adequate levels of agricultural production has eroded vulnerable households' ability to cope. This situation is evident as described in the chapters that follow despite the efforts of international humanitarian agencies to try to manage the situation and bring it under control. The efforts between 2015 and 2019 are described below.

**83**

pandemic.

conditions (IPC 5) [39].

*Food and Nutrition Security in East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan): Status…*

By September 2015, approximately 3.9 million people–nearly one in every three Sudanese, were severely food insecure and 3.6 million were considered to be 'stressed' [31]. An estimated 30,000 people were facing catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Level 5) in Unity State, leading to destitution, starvation, and death for some [32]. At the height of the lean season in July 2016, some 4.8 million people–more than one in every four people in South Sudan–were estimated to be severely food insecure. This number rose to about five million in 2017. More than one million children under age 5 were estimated to be acutely malnourished, including more than 273,600 who were severely malnourished in 2016 [33]. As of January 2017, 3.8 million were estimated to be in IPC 3-IPC 5, meaning that they were anywhere between crisis and catastrophe status of food insecurity. This was such that a month later, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance (IPC 3 and above) had increased to almost 5 million, out of which 100,000 were facing famine conditions. As a result, famine was declared in Leer and Mayendit Counties of Greater Unity State, Koch County and parts of Panyijiar County [34]. By mid-2017, an estimated 50% of the country's population was declared to be severely food insecure compared to 45% of the population a few months earlier. This was apparently the greatest number of people ever to experience severe food insecurity (IPC 3–5) in South Sudan from 2013. Immediate and sustained multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance was delivered to the affected population in the rest of the year. However, some 45,000 people in Leer, Koch, Mayendit in former Unity State and Ayod County in former Jonglei were reported to be in IPC 5 status of food insecurity as a result of the continued armed conflict, food shortages associated with seasonality and humanitarian assistance delivery constraints. In the Greater Jonglei State, food security rapidly deteriorated in the same period, predominantly in the counties of Ayod, Canal/Pigi, Duk, Nyirol and Uror, which faced Emergency (IPC 4) acute food insecurity, with Ayod having an estimated 20,000 people experiencing Humanitarian Catastrophe (IPC 5) through to July 2017 [35]. Due to the catastrophic nature of the situation between July and Dec 2017 [36], WFP resumed the integrated rapid response mechanism and deployed teams in Bilkey, Nyandit, Kurwai, Jaibor, Chuil, Buot and Ulang, providing life-saving food and nutrition assistance to over 96,600 people, including over 17,000 children under the age of five. For the period of January–September 2018, an estimated 48% of the population faced Crisis Level (IPC 3) or worse acute food insecurity, despite the harvest and the continued large-scale assistance that was being provided [37, 38]. By September 2018, 59% of the total population was estimated to be variously facing crisis to catastrophe levels of food insecurity. However, as is normal in the post-harvest period October– December of 2018, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance reduced (to about 43% of the total population), although over 20,000 still experienced catastrophe conditions and extreme food gaps. In early 2019, 49% of the total population faced acute food insecurity, with over 36,000 people in catastrophic

In the period January –December 2019, and with the availability of humanitarian

The situation described above for South Sudan is both depressing and concerning and points to the need for the International Community to do all in its power to bring the civil war to an end, so that some level of normalcy returns to the country. From the above estimates, some 45–60% of citizens of South Sudan can access food

food assistance, the situation that was experienced in 2018 over the same period was evident, with over 57% of the population facing acute food insecurity, while over 45,000 people were estimated to be in catastrophe phase of food insecurity [41]. The situation in South Sudan may be similar in 2020 or worse than it was in 2019 due to the uncertainties and the high cost of containment of the COVID-19

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95037*

#### *Food and Nutrition Security in East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan): Status… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95037*

By September 2015, approximately 3.9 million people–nearly one in every three Sudanese, were severely food insecure and 3.6 million were considered to be 'stressed' [31]. An estimated 30,000 people were facing catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Level 5) in Unity State, leading to destitution, starvation, and death for some [32]. At the height of the lean season in July 2016, some 4.8 million people–more than one in every four people in South Sudan–were estimated to be severely food insecure. This number rose to about five million in 2017. More than one million children under age 5 were estimated to be acutely malnourished, including more than 273,600 who were severely malnourished in 2016 [33]. As of January 2017, 3.8 million were estimated to be in IPC 3-IPC 5, meaning that they were anywhere between crisis and catastrophe status of food insecurity. This was such that a month later, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance (IPC 3 and above) had increased to almost 5 million, out of which 100,000 were facing famine conditions. As a result, famine was declared in Leer and Mayendit Counties of Greater Unity State, Koch County and parts of Panyijiar County [34]. By mid-2017, an estimated 50% of the country's population was declared to be severely food insecure compared to 45% of the population a few months earlier. This was apparently the greatest number of people ever to experience severe food insecurity (IPC 3–5) in South Sudan from 2013. Immediate and sustained multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance was delivered to the affected population in the rest of the year. However, some 45,000 people in Leer, Koch, Mayendit in former Unity State and Ayod County in former Jonglei were reported to be in IPC 5 status of food insecurity as a result of the continued armed conflict, food shortages associated with seasonality and humanitarian assistance delivery constraints. In the Greater Jonglei State, food security rapidly deteriorated in the same period, predominantly in the counties of Ayod, Canal/Pigi, Duk, Nyirol and Uror, which faced Emergency (IPC 4) acute food insecurity, with Ayod having an estimated 20,000 people experiencing Humanitarian Catastrophe (IPC 5) through to July 2017 [35]. Due to the catastrophic nature of the situation between July and Dec 2017 [36], WFP resumed the integrated rapid response mechanism and deployed teams in Bilkey, Nyandit, Kurwai, Jaibor, Chuil, Buot and Ulang, providing life-saving food and nutrition assistance to over 96,600 people, including over 17,000 children under the age of five. For the period of January–September 2018, an estimated 48% of the population faced Crisis Level (IPC 3) or worse acute food insecurity, despite the harvest and the continued large-scale assistance that was being provided [37, 38]. By September 2018, 59% of the total population was estimated to be variously facing crisis to catastrophe levels of food insecurity. However, as is normal in the post-harvest period October– December of 2018, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance reduced (to about 43% of the total population), although over 20,000 still experienced catastrophe conditions and extreme food gaps. In early 2019, 49% of the total population faced acute food insecurity, with over 36,000 people in catastrophic conditions (IPC 5) [39].

In the period January –December 2019, and with the availability of humanitarian food assistance, the situation that was experienced in 2018 over the same period was evident, with over 57% of the population facing acute food insecurity, while over 45,000 people were estimated to be in catastrophe phase of food insecurity [41]. The situation in South Sudan may be similar in 2020 or worse than it was in 2019 due to the uncertainties and the high cost of containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The situation described above for South Sudan is both depressing and concerning and points to the need for the International Community to do all in its power to bring the civil war to an end, so that some level of normalcy returns to the country. From the above estimates, some 45–60% of citizens of South Sudan can access food

*Food Security in Africa*

stability

EAC

cover [30].

**4. Republic of South Sudan**

its independence from Sudan.

**4.2 Food and nutrition security**

2019 are described below.

**4.1 Political, economic and social situation**

• Join International peace building efforts to stop the ongoing conflict especially with the rebels operating from the DRC and for the restoration of political

• Partner with the international community to realize political stability as a prerequisite to economic growth, international trade and integration into the

South Sudan has a population of about 12 million people [30]. It has suffered ethnic violence and has been in a civil war since 2013, only two years after gaining

Its weather is tropical and is characterized by a rainy season of high humidity and large amounts of rainfall, followed by a drier season. July tends to be the coolest month with average temperatures falling between 20 and 30°C, while March is the warmest month with average temperatures ranging from 23 to 37°C. Much of the annual rainfall comes between May and October, though rainy season sometimes commences in April and extends to November [30], thus making May the wettest month. The country's weather is "influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Zone and the shift to southerly and southwesterly winds" leading to slightly lower environmental temperatures, higher humidity and heavy cloud

South Sudan has a predominantly rural and subsistence economy. The region has been negatively affected by war since 1956, resulting in low infrastructure development, and major properties' destruction and displacements of populations. More than 2 million people are reported to have died, and, more than 4 million are internally displaced persons, or have become refugees as a result of the civil war [30]. It is estimated that there are more than 1.5 million persons out of the country. Improved education is needed to pave the way for greater economic opportunities and reduce South Sudan's reliance on oil and gas. South Sudan's recovering education system still faces many challenges, which are exacerbated by famine and the ongoing violence [31], in addition to the poor infrastructure, lack of qualified

South Sudan has a cyclical food security situation that is typical of a tropical country with a rainy and a dry season. The ongoing conflict has also altered the natural dynamics and has made the implementation of the usual coping strategies difficult. Food shortages disappear or reduce substantially, depending on the State, after the rainy season and during harvest. In the following dry season, food short-

Since the ongoing conflict started in 2013, the food and nutrition security situation has remained at the most compromised level. The combination of conflict, economic crisis and lack of adequate levels of agricultural production has eroded vulnerable households' ability to cope. This situation is evident as described in the chapters that follow despite the efforts of international humanitarian agencies to try to manage the situation and bring it under control. The efforts between 2015 and

ages are evident requiring some assistance to fill the food security gaps.

teaching and administrative staff and amenities in schools, etc.

**82**

and are able to recover their food security situation after harvest in any year, while 50–60% faces food insecurity of various levels in the dry season, but with less than 1% in catastrophe status (IPC 5).
