Provision of Lifesaving Emergency Food Security and Livelihoods Support Program for the most vulnerable IDPs and Host Communities in former Western Bahr El Ghazal State (Jur River County) Jur River is among other counties in the country with wide-spread and unprecedented levels of extreme food insecurity. Recent October 2017 – May 2018 FEWSNET South Sudan Food Security Outlook predicts a significant number of vulnerable populations in IPC Phase  4 and 5 in the current lean season in former Western Bahr el Ghazal among other regions. FSNMS Round 20 data shows more 20% of populations in Jur River reported Poor Food Consumption Scores and Severe Household Hunger Scales, indicative of extreme food consumption gaps in the targeted locations. Nutrition data from SMART surveys conducted between June and September 2017 show wide spread acute malnutrition.
This is in addition to disruption of the market supply chain in the former Western Bahr el Ghazal state, negative terms of trade and an annual food inflation rate of 236.5% in Jur River and Wau mid 2017 Fall Army Worm invasion in parts of Jur River among others with subsequent devastating effects on the crops (Fall Army Worm in Africa, FAO August 2017). These have had unprecedented vulnerabilities among people displaced at collective centres and sites in Jur River (IOM South Sudan Humanitarian Update #78).

As needs are worsening, humanitarian workers are facing increasing difficulty in accessing affected populations, with recently worse affected areas such as Kuajena, Rocrocdong among others, which humanitarian partners were unable to access in 2017 due to insecurity and bureaucratic impediments, complicating efforts to reach the most vulnerable and compounding existing needs. In 2017, a total of 1,159 humanitarian access incidents were reported by aid agencies in South Sudan with a total of 95 aid workers killed since crisis onset, with recent abduction of 6 aid workers in Western Bahr el Ghazal. This is in addition to frequent  looting and ambushes of humanitarian convoys with at least 61 looting incidents reported in multiple locations in the country in 2017(South Sudan Humanitarian Bulletin, January 2018).

Proposed actions will mainly target recently displaced internally displaced persons (women, girls, boys and men includes people with special needs and elderly) through FLS Cluster strategic objectives which are in line with the HRP 2018. These actions will respond to prioritized locations of Jur River County taking into account cost effective measures by prepositioning supplies through FAO Core Pipeline Hubs. Fishing support interventions will enable beneficiaries with access to riverine areas/ rivers have immediate access to fish for food, income and livelihood rehabilitation. Crop and Vegetable livelihood kits interventions will ensure medium term access to food.
Targeted most vulnerable beneficiaries will be made up are primarily made up 4,500 Households (HHs) (27,000 beneficiaries) comprised of 4000 men, 4000 women, 9500 girls and 9500 boys, including elderly (gt 60 years and those with disabilities/ special needs) amongst the most vulnerable emergency affected IDPs and host communities.

Peace Corps Organization (PCO), a leading national NGO, has been operational in former Western Bahr el Ghazal since 2006 with just completed 3 year BMZ Integrated Food Security and WASH Project Global Affairs Canada Food Security Project and ongoing UNICEF funding that will leverage on costs. The organization has experienced technical teams and relevant office space in Wau town and coordination centres in Jur River, logistics, warehousing facilities in Wau and strong grass root networks that can be easily deployed, including staff redeployment to proposed areas for scale up interventions. The project will also ensure Cross cutting issues will be mainstreamed such as gender equality and women empowerment, protection, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Protection especially GBV and violence against women and environmental conservation.