Highlights
Food insecurity projected to affect more than 5 million people during lean season.
Airlifts and airdrops of live saving food assistance reach more than 50,000 in Jonglei and Upper Nile states.
Riek Machar sworn in as first Vice President.
WFP’s Activities
Reports indicate an early and widespread onset to the lean season in South Sudan, driven by continued economic pressures, dry spells and insecurity which is constricting markets. Internal analysis in the absence of an updated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report indicates that more than 5 million people in South Sudan will be severely food insecure during the coming lean season, as compared to 4.6 million at the same time last year. Particular areas of concern are the non-conflict affected states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria. Additional resources will be required while stocks are being called forward to expand food assistance through the lean season.
WFP completed training with 34 partners on irrigation and vegetable gardening techniques under the Food for Assets (FFA) project. A final training is planned for the coming month.
SCOPE registration of cash for assets beneficiaries is ongoing in Aweil. With market disruptions, the utilization of cash transfers versus in-kind food assistance for some locations is being reviewed.