Rains boost food security in South Sudan

Juba, Sunday

Food security in many parts of Southern Sudan is set to improve after good rains, according to recent crop and precipitation assessments.

Some 2.4 million people in Southern Sudan received aid from the UN World Food Programme in June, during the lean season between harvests.

Now, harvesting of early crops of maize and groundnuts has begun in Eastern and Central Equatoria, Lakes, Warrap, Unity, Northern and Western Bahr el-Gazal regions, according to the Food and Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net), a project of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

“In most parts of these areas, rainfall has been above average and better than in 2009, though dry spells of varying duration or localized flooding have occurred in some areas, with impacts ranging from minimal to moderate,” according to FEWS Net’s latest Food Security Outlook.

“Food security in these areas is expected to significantly improve at the end of September to mid-October,” it said.

The report warned that while heavier rain improved pastureland and access to water for livestock, it also increased the risk of flooding in some areas.

And for the improvement in the food situation to continue through 2011, security in Southern Sudan had to remain stable.

Areas that would still remain food-insecure are Aweil West and South Twic East, Awerial and central parts of Jonglei state, Western Equatoriaand Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, where floods have displaced almost 60,000 people.