WFP starts food airdrops to citizens in Pochalla

File photo: South Sudanese women drag bags of grain to a central collection point dropped by WFP (IRIN)

The United Nations World Food Programme on Saturday launched a food airdrop operation as part of efforts to reach suffering people in Pochalla County in Boma State, a local official said.

The United Nations World Food Programme on Saturday launched a food airdrop operation as part of efforts to reach suffering people in Pochalla County in Boma State, a local official said.

Boma’s Minister of Agriculture Jay Adingora Alual told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the people of Pochalla received food. "We appreciate WFP for helping our vulnerable communities," Alual said.

The official urged the locals to embark on agriculture to help fight against hunger in the county.

Okoth Olok, a local resident in Pochalla, confirmed they were provided with food rations. “The food distribution took place but was not enough,” he said.

The food airdrop operation comes after reports that there was a sharp increase in the number of local residents in Pochalla fleeing to neighboring Ethiopia due to lack of food.