Johannesburg – The United Nations Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO) reports that South Sudan is currently facing a food shortfall of 700,000 metric tonnes, owing to the devastating floods that have hit parts of the country, and that food aid is required.
The FAO country representative for South Sudan, Meshack Malo said the current floods could affect farmers expected to be harvesting produce, the Sudan Tribune reported.
"The current floods have definitely injected fears on the initial estimates of food-insecure people. Definitely the number will increase with FAO forecast showing 74,157 hectares of cultivated land damaged with an estimated loss of 72,611 tonnes of grain in flood-affected areas," said Malo.
The FAO representative added that in addition to the need for more food aid, increased investment in the agriculture sector to alleviate the food deficit was also necessary.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), more than 908,000 people have been affected by heavy rainfall and the subsequent flooding with 620,000 people needing immediate humanitarian aid.