Three-month old South Sudan remains poor, soon-to-be starving
South Sudan (MNN) ― South Sudan gained independence on July 9, 2011. The people were ecstatic to be free of a northern region which oppressed and fought. But the three-month old nation is now struggling in its infancy.
South Sudan quickly earned a name as the nation with “highest infant mortality rate on the planet,” according to Africa Inland Mission. There is little access to healthcare.
Longed-for peace has eluded the nation, as well. While some regions are indeed peaceful, others remain in all-out war, especially along the Sudan border.
The most recent crisis announcements surround the nation’s food resources. The UN warns that within the next year, South Sudan is likely to face chronic food shortages.
According to The Guardian, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) said South Sudan will likely produce 420,000 to 500,000 metric tons of food this year, only half the required amount. It is estimated that 1.2 million people will be “severely food-insecure” next year, compared with the 970,000 last year.
AIM reports persecution as well, against those who fought for independence, and the church as well.
Yet, in the midst of what has turned out to be a messy birth, there is some reason to celebrate in South Sudan. The nation has a large population of Christians. Joshua Project findings show that nearly 60% of the population is part of a formative church, and 22% are part of an established, significant church. That leaves only 18% of the nation unreached.
Still, it may be hard to reach them in such strenuous times.
AIM has missionaries in South Sudan, including the Hildebrandts who are preparing to move to Juba, the nation’s capital. Pray for this missionary family to be a beacon of hope and love through practical outreach and wise counsel. Pray that the local church will stand strong and that they will continue to spread the hope of Jesus during this time of suffering and persecution.
AIM workers will continue to spread the Good News in South Sudan, regardless of the country’s outlook. You can help with this mission at www.aimint.org.
http://www.mnnonline.org/article/16309
Food Shortages a Worry for South Sudan
This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
United Nations agencies are warning of food shortages next year in South Sudan. The Food and Agriculture Organization says the new country is likely to produce only half the food it needs this year. The FAO blames the situation on unpredictable rains, the return of thousands of refugees, and conflict.
In August, the FAO did a study called a rapid crop assessment. It estimated that farmers in South Sudan could produce, at most, five hundred thousand metric tons of food this year.
Commonly grown food crops in South Sudan include maize, groundnuts, finger millet, pearl millet, sesame and cassava.
South Sudan became an independent nation in July after years of civil war with the Sudanese government in Khartoum. People in the south depended heavily on food aid during the war. Now they are trying to produce more of their own food.
Separation from the north was peaceful when it came. But since then South Sudan has faced tribal and rebel violence in several areas. And many refugees have returned from the north, adding to the population.
South Sudan is one of the world’s poorest countries. Last month, thirty-eight humanitarian agencies and aid groups wrote about the country’s needs in a report for international donors. One of the groups that released the report, called “Getting It Right from the Start,” was Oxfam. Surendrini Wijeyaratna is a spokeswoman for Oxfam in South Sudan.
SURENDRINI WIJEYARATNA: “The most important thing is to get the right balance between humanitarian and development assistance. There are still emergency context because of localized conflicts, because the country is susceptible to droughts and floods and also because there are still quite a lot of people returning from north Sudan to South Sudan.”
In March, the Food and Agriculture Organization announced the results of another study, a seed system security assessment. It took place in late two thousand ten. It found that farmers wanted to increase their plantings by more than sixty percent.
But in some places, armed conflict interfered with clearing the land and planting the seeds. Farmers also had to deal with high fuel prices, labor problems, stolen cattle and disputes over grasslands and water sources.
Amor Almagro with the UN World Food Program says her agency has fed almost two million people as a result of planting delays. Ms. Almagro says South Sudan has a good supply of fertile land, but only four percent is farmed.
Lise Grande with the UN humanitarian agency for South Sudan says food security is a big concern. An estimated 1.2 million people in South Sudan could face major food shortages. Last year, the number was nine hundred seventy thousand.
And that’s the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I’m Bob Doughty
http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/agriculture/Food-Shortages-a-Worry-for-South-Sudan-131022363.html
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