The World Food Programme (WFP) says it has reached close to 100,000 individuals with more than 2,900 mt of food assistance across the Greater Pibor Area since January.

 In a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj Monday, WFP said the assistance includes cereals, pulses, salt and cooking oil.

“Distributions will begin again this week to provide food for the next two months. Food has been prepositioned in the GPAA to ensure there is a continual supply of humanitarian food assistance through the rainy season,” the UN agency said.

According to WFP, the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) is facing extreme levels of hunger and it is a priority area for humanitarian assistance.

“World Food Programme is also supporting communities through activities such as Food Assistance for Assets (FFA), which involves creating community access roads and preparing land for agricultural activities so that they can grow more crops,” it said.

It added,” WFP’s FFA programme aims to address the most food-insecure people’s immediate food needs, and to improve their long-term food security and resilience as well as implementing School Meals Programmes in addition to the Nutritional activities for children and Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women and Girls.”

“We have also learned to help communities grow food, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), has delivered some inputs to their partner-JAM International to cover 9000 Households in Pibor. The inputs include crop seeds, vegetables Seeds and tools including fishing kits.”

WFP, however, noted that it is also facing resources constraints which are expected to become even further constrained as it responds in Renk, Upper Nile State, where people are fleeing across the border as fighting in Sudan continues.

 “These funding constraints mean we are unable to provide full rations to people in need of humanitarian assistance. However, WFP remains committed to providing assistance to people in need across South Sudan and continues to try and mobilise resources to meet the needs of as many people as possible,” WFP concluded.

Last week, local officials raised the alarm over looming hunger in parts of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) as communities in the region are unable to farm due to a lack of seeds.

Sabila Joseph, the GPAA Agriculture minister, told Radio Tamazuj that they are already hit by hunger and that the situation could only worsen in the coming months if locals are not able to cultivate.

However, James Chacha, the chairperson of the GPAA Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, said aid agencies are responding to the need in the area.

“Our partners are responding in areas of emergency needs like Gumuruk and Likuangole but only that the needs are overwhelming the response,” he said.