Local authorities are warning of looming hunger in Likuangole County of South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Clement Maze, the Likuangole County commissioner, said they will experience hunger by the end of this year because of anticipated poor harvests.
“As you know, Likuangole was the scene of intercommunal clashes a few months ago. The only hope for us was agriculture but rains are just starting now. Those crops planted at the beginning of the year withered and our rainy season ends in October. So, we expect no harvest, and hunger is inevitable,” Commissioner Maze said.
The county official called for urgent humanitarian intervention to avert the looming hunger.
Joseph Lelimoy, the GPAA minister in charge of agriculture and livestock, said: “The reason for this situation is that last year civilians were uprooted by the floods and fighting from their homes. Again, this year there are no adequate rains. So, there will be hunger not only in Likuangole but also in areas like Pochalla and Jebel Boma.”
The minister however pointed out that they are engaging all the aid agencies in the area so that the gaps are filled before the situation worsens.
For his part, Nyinginga Okanho Kiro, the GPAA Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) director, admitted the humanitarian situation is dire and that ongoing efforts by aid agencies to deliver food to the worst hit areas is being rendered difficult by poor roads.