Acute Famine Joint Response in Pibor People in parts of South Sudan face the highest levels of food insecurity since independence was declared a decade ago. Since mid-2019, South Sudan has experienced two consecutive years of flooding that affected more than 900,000 people in 2019 and over 1 million people in 2020. The arrival of COVID-19 and an upsurge in sub-national violence in 2020 causing disruption to the delivery of humanitarian assistance has erased earlier gains made in food security . According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projections, from December to March 2021 , an estimated 5.8 million people (48% of the population) faced Crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3) or worse - a figure that is expected to increase to 7.2 million (60% of the population) in the lean season of April-July 2021. This is an increase of 15% compared to the number of people who were acutely food insecure in 2020.

In December 2020, the IPC Global Support Unit released a Real Time Quality Review (RTQR) report   indicating a likelihood of populations in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) acute food insecurity in Akobo, Aweil South, Tonj East, Tonj North and Tonj South, as well as a Famine Review Committee (FRC) report indicating that some payams in Pibor are classified as Famine Likely. In these Priority 1 locations, 810,000 people are deemed to be in Crisis or worse levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+), while 108,000 people are projected in IPC Phase 5 Catastrophe, with these households having an extreme lack of food and/or other basic needs, even after full employment of coping strategies . These counties of greatest food insecurity severity are found in locations where the compounded shocks are exceptionally amplified due to intensified sub-national violence, two consecutive years of widespread flooding, indirect effects of COVID-19, and a protracted macro-economic crisis resulting in record high food price spikes. These multiple shocks have severely impacted people’s livelihoods and access to food from markets, livestock and farming . 

The magnitude and severity of food insecurity is anticipated to increase and worsen respectively in 2021 compared to 2020. The direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 and related pressure put on markets and the movement of goods, an upsurge in sub-national violence, desert locust invasions in the east, recurring flooding in areas still recovering from the 2019 floods, a protracted macro-economic crisis, increasing food prices and lastly, a devaluating local currency are all threatening the food security of people are expected to continue to influence the food security situation in 2021  . 

While the humanitarian operational space remains significantly challenged and highly restricted due to persisting insecurity and is likely to be further restricted by seasonal flooding in the coming period, urgent action is required to revert/prevent widespread death and total collapse of livelihoods in these priority locations. Considering the nature of the response, first and foremost the focus of Cordaid response is to provide food assistance to prevent famine and improve food consumption, dietary diversity and coping strategies for vulnerable populations in Pibor, and depending on the gaps in Pibor, complement these activities with livelihood  or WASH activities. The JR plans to reach 62.670 beneficiaries with the FSL and WASH intervention in the counties of Aweil South, Akobo, Tonj North, Tonj South, and Pibor, without double counting. As mentioned, considering the nature of the response, first and foremost the focus of this acute DRA response is to provide food assistance to prevent famine and improve food consumption, dietary diversity and coping strategies for vulnerable populations in the priority locations. As such, a total of 41.370 beneficiaries will be supported with food distributions (either in-kind, or through cash/vouchers).