WFP seeks to feed 1.7 mln South Sudanese in 2018

JUBA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The UN World Food Program (WFP) said Wednesday it plans to feed 1.7 million people in South Sudan in the next ten months after identifying a new route in northwestern city of Aweil in Bahr El-Ghazal region.

WFP said some 19 WFP-contracted trucks loaded with 500 tonnes of sorghum left El Obeid in central Sudan on Nov. 22 and arrived five days later in Aweil.

WFP South Sudan Country Director Adnan Khan lauded the government for providing a third humanitarian corridor at this crucial time, noting that WFP and its partners assisted a total of 2.6 million people in October.

"This strengthens our ability to move large amounts of life-saving food assistance by road into South Sudan," Khan said in a statement issued in Juba. This is the third overland route to open between the two countries since 2014.

WFP said it plans to use the new route regularly to deliver 30,000 tonnes of life-saving assistance into South Sudan in 2018 if it receives donor support to buy the food.

According to the UN, the number of people experiencing severe food insecurity for the October-December period is likely to surge by 1.4 million from a year earlier to 4.8 million, although the number represents a drop from six million in June.

The UN also forecasts the food security situation will deteriorate at the start of 2018, and the "hungry season" will arrive three months earlier than usual, when households will likely run out of food before the next harvest.

The UN food agency said it has assisted 4.6 million people in South Sudan so far this year with 208,000 tonnes of food and 24.5 million U.S. dollars in cash.

It warned that an estimated 25,000 people face famine conditions in Western Bahr El Ghazal and Jonglei regions from October to December.

This comes at a time when the harvest is coming in and food should be relatively plentiful. Last year, no one faced famine conditions during the harvest period.

"WFP is now able to reach three locations in South Sudan by road from Sudan: Renk, Bentieu and now Aweil. This enables WFP to deliver life-saving assistance more swiftly and efficiently and makes it easier to pre-position food before the rainy season, which cuts road access to many communities," it said. Enditem