Emergency
South Sudan
- 7.8 million
- people facing high levels of hunger
- 2.2 million-plus
- children under 5 are acutely malnourished
- US$416 million
- needed for WFP's life-saving assistance until February 2027
Conflict, mass displacement, climate shocks, economic instability and the ongoing war in neighbouring Sudan are driving a severe hunger crisis in South Sudan.
Over half of the population – 7.8 million people – face high levels of acute food insecurity, while 2.2 million children are acutely malnourished.
Four counties remain at risk of famine under a worst-case scenario.
El Niño-related drought conditions have damaged crops, reduced water availability and weakened household resilience, while the lean season has pushed more families deeper into hunger.
To compound the crisis, a funding crisis means more than 1 million people risk losing access to life-saving assistance by October.
More than 1.4 million refugees and returnees have crossed into South Sudan since war erupted in Sudan in 2023. Humanitarian assistance remains a critical lifeline for refugee families to meet their basic food and nutrition needs.
More than this, refugees risk seeing years of hard work undone – threatening their ability to support themselves and continue making progress in education, livelihoods and resilience.
The World Food Programme (WFP) remains committed to reaching vulnerable people with life-saving assistance.
WFP faces a US$416 million funding shortfall until February 2027, threatening life-saving support for millions of vulnerable people.
What the World Food Programme is doing to respond to the South Sudan emergency
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Food assistance
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WFP is providing food and cash transfers, including to refugees, IDPs and host communities. WFP recently resumed assistance to communities in riverside areas of Nasir County after prolonged access constraints – supporting an area identified as being at high risk of famine.
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Climate resilience
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Cash transfers
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School meals
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Nutrition
