The reality of climate change in South Sudan: drought, plagues and famine

The effects of climate change are already a reality for farmers South Sudanese like Samuel Yuot Nyok, who in recent years has seen the harvest drastically reduced by periods of extreme drought, a change in the seasonality and intensity of rains and the timely arrival of pests that spoil food.

In the background, the food insecurity of more than 7 million people in the country, where 1.65 million children are malnourished, according to data from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

In his grain warehouse on the outskirts of the small town of Renk, in the northern state of Upper Nile and bordering Sudan, Samuel guides EFE through bags of white sorghum, a typical cereal of the region and the main ingredient of a variety of dishes with which the population of South Sudan tries to escape hunger while trying to survive the collapse of the local market, also affected by the conflict that broke out more than a year ago in its northern neighbor.

“The rainy season normally begins in mid-May and lasts until last October, but times are changing and due to climate change it sometimes comes earlier or later”he explains to EFE, concerned about changes in the climate, which force him to adapt work in the field in an attempt to get the most out of the land.

“Lately, we are not getting the expected quantity or quality of the harvest.”“, the Mint.

The data corroborates it. “Between 2021 and 2022, we harvested around 30,000 metric tons of cereals, but since last year this amount has dropped to around 8,000 metric tons. Now, by extending the collection period until June, I don’t think we will exceed 10,000,” Loboka Boko Moses tells EFE.

This WFP logistics and warehouse manager in Renk supervises four local grain suppliers. “I don’t know if it is because of climate change or what reason, but I do know that the harvest has been reduced”, he points out.

According to the latest data available on the Climate Change Knowledge Portal, South Sudan’s average temperatures are typically above 25°C, with highs above 35°C, which throughout the month of May have been between 42 °C and 45 °C, EFE confirmed on the spot.

According to this specialized website, annual rainfall in Upper Nile is between 700 and 1,300 mm. starting in May, although they have not started yet.

Pests and supply problems

The reduction in harvests directly affects the market and the population, who see their possibilities of buying this grain, the basis of their diet and even the only ingredient they can afford, reduced.

Added to all this are other problems. Environmental conditions have led to the appearance of some insects that eat the plantations before the cereal grows.

“This affects our profit as farmers. And the rainy months are getting shorter. “We have three months, 100 days and they are not enough for sorghum,” says Samuel, who adds supply and infrastructure problems that make its distribution in local markets difficult.

“Sometimes it is difficult to get gasoline for transportation. We are right on the border between South Sudan and Sudan and many times it is not open to receive the fuel or goods that we need for our work and from Juba (South Sudanese capital) we do not have good roads and we are very far away. That’s why many of us use cargo by plane, sometimes we transport along the Nile River, but it is not safe because the boats are not good,” says this young farmer.

Among other actions, the WFP helps 43,000 small farmers like Samuel in the country, 29,000 of them women, to develop their capacities and infrastructure to distribute products in local markets and boost trade in the community itself, but also beyond. the borders.

The idea is that part of the production reaches neighboring Sudan to meet the basic needs of the population, victims of the war that broke out in mid-April of last year between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (FAR).

“We send the product to different locations such as Mabán, Malakal, as well as Renk. Now also (…) to Sudan,” says Boko Moses, referring to this WFP initiative.

With the help of the WFP, 7,000 tons of food have been distributed to households participating in asset creation activities, 494,000 people received assistance through it and 569 kilometers of roads have been rehabilitated in 2023 to serve the populations affected by the food insecurity.

“Our current challenge is to try to do our best to help the people of the region, but the later (the rainy season) starts, the later we will achieve results, which will be lower,” concludes Samuel in a somber message.

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