Enhancing Food Security and Livelihoods Support Among Vulnerable Populations in Jur River County Jur River County is among others that are currently hosting highest numbers of people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2020 (191,200 in Jur River) (HNO, 2020). Proximity to cantonment sites coupled with cyclical waves of inter-communal fighting have further contributed to the vulnerability of these populations, which continue to grapple with unprecedented food insecurity levels and malnutrition rates. These events puts a further strain on vulnerable populations in Jur River with December 2019 FSNMS indicating 87 percent of the population in Western Bahr el Ghazal have inadequate food consumption and 42 percent consumed the lowest number of food groups. Moreover, Jur River being market dependent, recorded 64.8 percent of households which have been affected by unusually high food prices and highest proportion of households affected by prolonged dry spells. This has further negatively impacted households’ purchasing power which has remained low (FEWSNET Food Security Outlook, 2020).

Despite a 91 percent of the population in Jur River county reporting access to land and a marginal (15.1 percent) increase in harvested areas (CFSAM, 2020) 41 percent cited shortage of tools and lack of seeds while 50 percent cited pests which had been widespread (FSNMS, December 2019). It is projected that the lean season will start early in 2020 due to limited food stocks and projected seasonal declines in fish, wild foods and milk with 46% of the population is expected to be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity at the peak of the lean season. Additionally, the peak of the lean season will see a spike in GAM rates to between 10-14.9 percent in both counties (IPC, January 2020). 

Stop Poverty Communal Initiative (SPOCI) aims to respond and scale up emergency food security and livelihoods which is in line with the FSL Cluster second strategic objective that aims to enhance emergency food production through complementary vegetable and crop seeds and fishing support. Targeted beneficiaries in Jur River (Kuajena, Rocrocdong and Kangi Payams) are comprised of 4,700 households (28,200 beneficiaries – 4700 men, 4700 women, 9400 girls and 9400 boys).

These beneficiaries will be supported with both main season (May-August 2020) and dry season  (November 2020 and February 2021) provision of crop, vegetable and fishing kits coupled with training in improved agronomic and fishing practices, including reducing post-harvest losses and cooking techniques whilst ensuring Covid-19 prevention and mitigation measures are strictly adhered to in line with FSL Cluster/ FAO guidelines.

SPOCI is a national NGO with over 5 years programmatic presence in FSL, has secured additional funding for the project through Korea Child Fund that has already supported 346 child headed households with vegetable and fishing inputs in both Wau (Wau North) and Jur River (Kangi and Rocrocdong) Counties with additional complementary funding from UNICEF. SPOCI has in addition recently successfully implemented an FSL SSHF funded project that supported 22,500 beneficiaries with livelihood inputs and trainings. In addition, SPOCI works very closely with cluster coordination forums and is a member of National NGOs Steering Committee, member of the ICWG and AAP Technical Working Group and Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group.  SPOCI will in addition ensure inter-cluster synergies by working closely with partners in nutrition, health, FSL, Protection while taking into consideration AAP, Gender Equity, Protection concerns including GBV and sound environmentally friendly approaches. SPOCI will in addition to working closely with health actors and regular assessments and preventative messaging and social distancing approaches to mitigate Covid-19 potential outbreaks in-country.