South Sudan commemorated World Food Day Thursday as over 2.5 million people remain at risk of hunger.
Sue Lautze, of Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) said that the best contribution to World Food Day in South Sudan would be peace.
“Today in South Sudan, too many people will spend World Food Day hungry,” she said. “That is a discouraging fact about today. And we have to do so much more to eliminate the problem of hunger in South Sudan.”
Eddie Rowe, deputy country director of the World Food Programme, said that as the world is celebrating the day 2.5 million will be at risk of food insecurity.
Rowe stressed that South Sudan needs peace to allow the displaced and refugee people to return home and resume their livelihoods to ensure that both assistance and markets can function.
“Let today be a reminder that we must do more because the right to food is a human right,” Rowe said. He said a lasting solution to hunger must include supporting smallholder farmers, school feedings, protecting the vulnerable, and building resilience. All of these measures require peace, Rowe added.
“The worst form of hunger and malnutrition crisis are related to conflict and the fact that people had run from their home,” said South Sudan’s Minister of Agriculture Beda Machar, calling it a “sad” World Food Day.
Radio Tamazuj Photo: local produce on display