In 2011 WFP plans to feed some 1.5 million people across South Sudan and this number could grow if the security situation continues to deteriorate and more people get displaced and if the cultivation season has low yield for rural farmers. At the height of the hunger season – from May to August- an additional 400,000 will need seasonal food assistance.
Education is critical to the future development of South Sudan. WFP is helping get children of this new country into schools and keep them there through its school feeding programme. WFP plans to feed more than 375,000 school children with school meals.
WFP will cover some 160,000 children under two years of age and some 50,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers through Blanket Supplementary Feeding to prevent malnutrition from increasing.
Some 225,000 malnourished children under five years of age will be reached through a Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme.
In addition to responding to the food needs of the vulnerable people of South Sudan, WFP also plans to reach some 185,000 people with food assistance through selected activities under Food Recovery programme that gets communities build assets for themselves.
Through its Purchase for Progress (P4P) initiative, WFP is helping 4,000 smallholder farmers improve the quality and quantity of their agricultural produce and help them access markets by training them on post-harvest handling of grains and warehouse management. In addition, WFP is indirectly reaching up to 15,000 farmers through partners that are involved in the farming and local purchase projects.
With road repair and maintenance essential for the rebuilding of South Sudan, WFP will continue working with the Government of South Sudan in maintaining nine critical trunk roads and repairing bridges. In addition, a 500-km feeder roads will be constructed to link remote, agriculturally productive areas to main roads and markets.