Officials in South Sudan’s Boma State say the humanitarian situation is dire in greater Pochalla areas as locals lack food following low harvests in 2018.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Tonny Thiopia Ojulo, Pochalla South County commissioner said low harvests and months without access to relief foods forced locals to depend on wild fruits in the areas.
“There is no food for the locals in Otallo, Ajwara, Nyium, Obwodi, Pochalla town and Kworobwo areas of greater Pochalla. The reason for hunger is that there were little harvests and locals in those areas only received relief foods last year. Also, earlier this year, there were heavy rains, so residents only started growing crops recently, “Thiopia explained.
He added, “About 4,727 sacks of sorghum were airdropped by WFP but they are yet to be distributed to 6,063 of 9,000 registered elderly people. Situations are not really good in those areas. The area is landlocked. Locals only go to Ethiopia to buy goods.”
Commissioner Thiopia is appealing to aid agencies operating in the country to intervene by supplying foods and providing seeds and farm tools.
Meanwhile, Nyinginga Okano Kiro, the state director for Boma’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) confirmed that the humanitarian situation is dire in greater Pochalla and greater Jebel Boma areas, saying the food insecurity is a result of low harvests in 2018.
He also noted that remoteness of those areas is a hinderance to service delivery for the local communities.
Nyinginga also appealed to aid agencies to respond to the needs of those affected.