How the Looming Specter of Hunger in South Sudan is Partly Linked to Climate Change

By Philip Ayuen Dot, Juba, South Sudan

Thursday, 30 November 2023 (PW) — Climate change is the leading cause of extreme weather events, such as floods, impacting South Sudan. For example, in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, the Wau River overflowed its banks and affected the area of Barchirki on the Eastern bank. In Jonglei State, the River Nile broke through the existing dykes, which had previously protected people from flooding.

These events have directly affected between 750,000 and one million people each year, according to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, UNOCHA, and UNHCR. Flooding has become a recurring issue in South Sudan, leading to the destruction of crops, loss of food reserves stored for drought periods, and displacement of people. As a result, people cannot farm in the areas where they have taken refuge, leading to lost seasons where crops cannot be planted or harvested.

The annual occurrence of floods is a significant challenge for people, the government, and non-governmental organizations. The problem is that they do not have enough time to recover, support people in returning to their homes, provide them with seeds to plant again, and so on. Climate change is causing these extreme events, which used to occur less frequently in the past, to happen each year, making rebuilding efforts almost impossible. As a result, the predicted hunger is also becoming an annual occurrence.

Climate change has also caused erratic and unpredicted rainfall. This means that it’s not raining when farmers and pastoralists expect it to, and even when they plant their crops, it could rain during the harvesting period when it should be dry. This has made it difficult for people living on arable land to get good harvests that would have fed the country previously. This, mixed with a displacement of a section of the population, makes the food crisis an event happening more frequently and more catastrophic.

The climate change issues in South Sudan are worsened because the country depends heavily on natural resources, which are also vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The extreme weather events caused by climate change affect their forests, rivers, wildlife, wetlands, pasture lands, and other natural resources. As a result, when crops fail, the people of South Sudan cannot rely on their natural heritage to support them because it is also severely impacted.

The impact of climate change has been devastating, leading to the destruction of livelihoods and causing the displacement of people. As a result, the number of people exposed to famine has increased by 50% in recent years compared to a decade ago when the effects of climate change were not as severe.

The absence of measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change leaves the people of South Sudan vulnerable to its direct impacts. For instance, floods often result in the destruction of infrastructure, hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. Additionally, the ongoing conflict in the country has made it more susceptible to climate change, as it has left the nation impoverished and disorganized, with no planning on protecting itself from the impacts of climate change.

South Sudan needs to adapt to the effects of climate change as soon as possible, and it requires urgent assistance. It is important to note that climate change is not solely an African issue, and developed nations that significantly contributed to this catastrophe must assume responsibility and contribute to preventing the consequences of climate change, which causes thousands of deaths annually.

To address this climate injustice, the global North should provide financial and technological support to South Sudan through organizations such as the National Ministry of Environment & Forestry, the World Bank, UNDP, IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOCHA, among others that are working on the ground to promote climate resilience in the country.

To ensure sustainable food production, South Sudan must shift towards climate-smart agriculture and reduce its dependence on unpredictable rainfall caused by climate change. This requires investing in irrigation for cultivable land and meteorological systems to forecast weather patterns and offer guidance to farmers and herders.

South Sudan should establish a food bank reserve to prevent famines through proper planning. Although expensive, saving food for the drought season can act as a shock absorber for the impacts of climate change and help prevent millions of people from starving every year. Additionally, diversifying the nation’s income sources is also necessary. South Sudan should move away from over-reliance on oil and explore other avenues such as agriculture, tourism, and asset diversification to generate revenue.

Flood defences are crucial to minimize the negative impacts of floods. Infrastructure such as dykes, dams, and flood-resistant roads can help reduce the amount of money needed to rebuild after floods. Additionally, relocating people to higher ground permanently can be an effective solution.

It is essential to empower citizens, including women, to earn their livelihood from various sources besides farming. This will enhance their capacity to prepare for famines individually. However, South Sudan is currently in urgent need of food aid as over five million people are on the brink of starvation.

In order for South Sudan to survive long enough to actualize these long-term changes, primary food aid is required. This can only be achieved with support from the global north, non-governmental organizations, and well-wishers who wish to help the people of South Sudan.

Despite not contributing to it, South Sudan is one of the top ten countries in the world that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In order to compensate or reimburse someone for an expense or injury, we must indemnify them.

Therefore, it is necessary for South Sudan to be indemnified as a vulnerable nation to climate change. The responsible nations should help South Sudan as it deals with the effects of climate change, which they are responsible for. It is only just to do so.

The author, Philip Ayuen Dot, is an independent South Sudanese environmental researcher who writes on environmental issues, social and economic topics and can be reached via his email: Philipdot57@gmail.com.

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