JUBA — The United Nations warned on Friday that food stocks in South Sudan have fallen to critically low levels, deepening an aid crisis that now threatens the lives of an estimated 5.5 million people across the country.
According to a joint statement released by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the current food reserves are sufficient for only three months of consumption, down from the six‑month buffer that humanitarian planners consider a minimum for stability.
Funding shortfall hampers response
OCHA said that the humanitarian response plan for 2026, which totals $1.2 billion, has received just $540 million in pledges, leaving a shortfall of $660 million. The funding gap has forced agencies to scale back nutrition programmes, cash‑for‑food distributions and health services in the most vulnerable regions, including Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states.
WFP officials noted that the reduction in cash‑based transfers has left many households unable to purchase staple grains, pushing them toward market prices that have risen by 28 % since the start of the year, according to the latest market monitoring report.
Conflict and displacement fuel insecurity
Since the resurgence of armed clashes in early 2025, more than 1.2 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The displacement has disrupted agricultural cycles, with many farmers unable to plant or harvest crops in the 2025‑2026 season.
Humanitarian officials said that insecurity continues to impede aid deliveries, with roadblocks and sporadic fighting reported along the main supply routes linking Juba to the northern states. The United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNMISS) has increased patrols in the affected corridors but has not been able to guarantee safe passage for all convoys.
Health and nutrition at risk
Malnutrition rates have risen sharply, with OCHA reporting that 22 % of children under five are now classified as acutely malnourished, up from 16 % a year earlier. The shortage of therapeutic foods and ready‑to‑use supplementary foods has forced clinics to turn away patients, according to health workers on the ground.
In addition, the health sector faces a shortage of essential medicines, as donor funding for the health component of the response plan remains below the required threshold.
International response
European Union officials reiterated their commitment to increase contributions, but said that budgetary constraints in member states have delayed disbursements. The United States, the largest bilateral donor to South Sudan, announced a supplemental $150 million package aimed at bolstering food assistance, but noted that the funds would be released in phases over the next six months.
Regional bodies, including the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have called for an immediate ceasefire to enable unhindered humanitarian access. The parties to the conflict have not yet responded to the appeals.
Outlook
UN agencies warned that without a rapid infusion of resources and a sustained reduction in hostilities, the food security situation could deteriorate further before the end of the year, potentially pushing an additional 800,000 people into acute hunger.
Humanitarian actors continue to appeal for urgent funding and for all parties to respect humanitarian corridors, emphasizing that the window to prevent a large‑scale famine is narrowing.
