SOUTH SUDAN / FAMINE FOOD AIRDROPS

Three United Nations humanitarian agencies today (08 Mar) warned war and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation in parts of South Sudan as one million people have now been classified as being on the brink of famine in the country. WFP

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:50
• Production Date: 8 March 2017
• Asset Language: Original; English
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN CRISIS; HUNGER
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 1844185
• Parent Id: 1844185
• Alternate Title: unifeed170308d

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / FAMINE FOOD AIRDROPS
TRT: 01:50
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NUER / NATS

DATELINE: 06 MARCH 2017, LEER, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

06 MARCH 2017, LEER, SOUTH SUDAN

1. Wide shot, aircraft dropping food aid onto field
2. Med shot, WFP team handing out food distribution cards
3. Various shots, Women receiving food aid
3. SOUDNBITE (English) Lenidace Andrew Rugemalila, rapid response team leader to Leer Town, World Food Programme (WFP):
"WFP is delivering now 259 metric tons, which is a full ration for 1 month of the 3 major commodities; that is cereal, pulses and vegetable oil. Plus the CSB++ (Corn Soya Blend) which is distributed to the children aged 6 to 59 months for combating malnutrition.”
4. Various shots, women waiting to receive food aid
5. SOUNDBITE (Nuer) Regina Nyakuoth, Leer Town Resident:
“I have been here for four days in order to receive food. Today I finally got my food and I am very happy.”
6. Various shots, women and children moving bags of cereal and pulses
7. SOUDNBITE (English) Lenidace Andrew Rugemalila, rapid response team leader to Leer Town, World Food Programme (WFP):
“It’s a good amount of food, significantly going to really help the community to minimize the food shortage.”
8. Wide shot, men carrying bags of cereal and pulses from drop zone

Storyline

Three United Nations humanitarian agencies today (08 Mar) warned war and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation in parts of South Sudan as one million people have now been classified as being on the brink of famine in the country.

The World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also warned that urgent action was needed to prevent more people from dying of hunger in South Sudan. The agencies said if sustained and adequate assistance is delivered, the hunger situation could improve in the coming months.

Famine was declared in parts of South Sudan this February and the total number of food insecure people is expected to rise to 5.5 million at the height of the lean season in July if nothing is done to curb the severity and spread of the food crisis. A formal famine declaration means people have already started dying of hunger. WFP said famine was currently affecting parts of Unity State in the northern-central part of the country and the situation was the worst hunger catastrophe since fighting erupted more than three years ago.

This week, WFP carried out food drops as part of an Inter-agency rapid response mission to Leer town in Unity State. The mission registered and assisted 14,000 people and provided a 30-day ration of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil. They also distributed specialised nutritious fortified cereal (CSB++) to all children under the age of 5 to prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition.