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Estimated Impact on Population
Breakdown of the population suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition in South Sudan.
Primary Sources
Hunger intensifies in South Sudan as 7.8 million people face high acute ...
ROME/NEW YORK, 28 April 2026 – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF today warned that a deepening hunger crisis in South Sudan is pushing 7.8 million people into high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and July 2026, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. This represents 56 percent of the population—one of the highest levels of acute food insecurity in the world today.Among those projected to be acutely food insecure, 73,300 people are facing Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5)—the most severe level of acute food insecurity. This represents a dramatic increase of 160 per cent from the last estimate. Meanwhile, 2.5 million people are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and 5.3 million in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).The crisis is being driven by escalating conflict, mass displacement, economic decline, climate shocks, flooding, and below-capacity agricultural production, all of which are reducing food availability and limiting families’ access to enough food. In Jonglei alone, nearly 300,000 people have been displaced, leaving many communities cut off from humanitarian assistance, while rising food prices, disrupted markets, and weak household purchasing power are further deepening food insecurity.At the same time, acute malnutrition is being exacerbated by lack of access to health and nutrition services where facilities have been damaged or closed due to conflict. In addition, the shortages of supplies and funding have reduced access to life-saving treatment. Disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, and measles, are compounding the crisis, particularly among vulnerable and already acutely malnourished children.The agencies warn of a credible risk of famine in four counties across Upper Nile and Jonglei states. Conflict-affected communities have been cut off from food, markets, and essential services, under a worst-case scenario of escalating conflict, further displacement, and constrained humanitarian access. The IPC projects 11 counties across Upper Nile, Unity, and Jonglei states to face IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5 (Extremely Critical) outcomes. Humanitarian assistance is being scaled up in some areas, but coverage remains uneven, with some communities still inaccessible and receiving little or no support.For children, the nutrition situation has continued to worsen. Currently, 2.2 million children aged 6 months to five years old are suffering...
Nearly eight million people in South Sudan at risk of acute hunger ...
Aid agencies warn that time is running out to avoid an ‘irreversible humanitarian catastrophe’.Nearly eight million people in South Sudan are at risk of acute hunger as conflict and displacement worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis, according to a United Nations report.Published on Tuesday, the report warns that 7.8 million people in the West African country will suffer high levels of food insecurity in the coming months — equivalent to 56 percent of the population.The Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have called on the international community to take immediate action to prevent what they described as an “irreversible humanitarian catastrophe”.The report states that the number of children aged between six months and five years old who are suffering from acute malnutrition has risen by 100,000 over the past six months, to a total 2.2 million. It estimates that 700,000 children are at grave risk of dying.Many nutritional services in South Sudan have been damaged or closed due to ongoing fighting, driving up the number of people at risk of acute malnutrition. Meanwhile, supply shortages and inadequate funding have reduced access to life-saving treatment.The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan — the world’s youngest country — is being fuelled by ethnic conflict, climate change and the spillover of fighting from neighbouring Sudan, with which it broke following a referendum in 2011.The country’s worsening economic crisis has further compounded the situation. South Sudan remains one of the poorest countries in the world.In recent months, fears have grown that the nation could return to all-out civil war, more than seven years after a peace agreement in 2018 ostensibly ended fighting that led to the deaths of nearly 400,000 people.Heavy clashes between the state army, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, and opposition groups have intensified in recent months.The tensions stem from a long-standing feud between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and suspended Vice President Riek Machar, who is currently on trial in Juba on charges of murder, treason and crimes against humanity, which he denies.
Hunger Crisis in South Sudan: 7.8M Face Food Insecurity
Without rapid, large-scale intervention, the people of South Sudan risk facing an irreversible humanitarian catastrophe. "Now, more than ever, we cannot afford to lose the hard-won gains made in recent years, especially as South Sudan works to strengthen its agrifood systems and build on encouraging signs of local agricultural production.
Hunger and acute malnutrition intensify in South Sudan
WFP, FAO and UNICEF today warned that a deepening hunger crisis in South Sudan is pushing 7.8 million people into high levels of hunger.
