Food security in the Republic of South Sudan
By Jacob K. Lupai
October 20, 2011 — It is obvious that food security has been in the public eye for a long time. We may be familiar with the biblical story of Joseph at the court of Pharaoh when Joseph predicted seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. This is an early example of food security planning in practice. However, somebody may ask what precisely food security is. For information to those who may not know food security can be defined as a situation when all people, at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
On food security the vision of the government of the Republic of South Sudan is for all the people to enjoy improved quality of life, environment and economic prosperity. Also on food security the guiding principle is ensuring that each and every household in the Republic of South Sudan has access to food and that each individual consumes not less than the minimum dietary requirement.
In his historic speech to the First Joint Sitting of the National Legislature and to the Nation, the president of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, said we should not depend on imports of food or handouts when we are endowed with fertile land. Indeed in Sub-Saharan Africa the Republic of South Sudan is one of the most endowed with vast natural resources. Its land surface is prime agricultural land and available in abundance. Many food and cash crops can be grown for self-reliance in food security. In his speech, however, the president fell short of specifying precisely what concrete steps he would have taken in achieving household food security within the first 100 days of his new government. This is in view of the fact that according to the Food and Agriculture Policy Framework of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, South Sudan should have been food self-sufficient by 2011.
We have seen in brief, that food security is when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient food. Taking this as a yardstick is helpful in measuring the level of food security in the Republic of South Sudan for a general picture of the extent the Republic is food secure. In the definition of food security two prominent issues may be deduced, namely production and access. Agricultural production may be high but when people have no access to the produce people may be food insecure. For example, food commodities may be plenty in the market but when people have no money to buy the food commodities they may even starve. Access relates to income. When prices are high people may not afford to have access to food hence at times riots occur against mounting food prices.
In the Republic of South Sudan food insecurity is widespread. In fact food security is worsening. With the trade routes blockade by North Sudan, the result is exorbitant prices of staple food commodities and fuel. The high prices demanded for staple food commodities reduce access to food for majority of poor and vulnerable households who mainly depend on the market for a large portion of their food needs. For example, in Juba market the price of a measure of onion that was 5SSP is now 10, an increase in price by 100%. A 3-litre container of oil was previously 18 but is now 25SSP and a measure of maize flour which was 12 is now 25SSP, an increase in price of 108%. Previously a kilogram of sugar was 4SSP but now it is 9, and increase in price by 125%. A liter of fuel (diesel) was 2.5SSP but has risen to 6, an increase by 140%. A cylinder of cooking gas was 70SSP but now it is 130, an increase by about 86%. At any rate the increase in prices is very high for the average consumer.
With regard to the exorbitant market prices, in contrast, there are no known increases in salaries corresponding to the high cost of living. This can only worsen the food security situation of the majority of people in the Republic of South Sudan. In an overview of food security situation about 74% of the population experiences acute food insecurity. Most of the states are affected by food insecurity. Central and Eastern Equatoria States are generally food insecure. In Northern Bahr el Ghazal State food is scarce characterised by high prices. In Warrap State the food security situation continues to worsen as a result of the blockade of the North-South trade routes. In Unity State, tension caused by insecurity due to militia activities has been a threat to food security. In Western Bahr el Ghazal State, the food security situation is unstable and in Jonglei State high tension caused by insecurity due to cattle raids, tribal fights and militia activities jeopardizing the food security situation.
The situation of food security in the Republic of South Sudan seems also to have been made worse by budget constraints. In the budgetary allocations of 2011, Agriculture and Forestry, and Animal Resources and Fisheries as two ministries combined got 1.9% of the total budget. Such a miniscule budget is like a drop in the ocean. In contrast the Ministry of Internal Affairs as only one ministry got about 8%. Agriculture and Forestry, and Animal Resources and Fisheries on which the very socio-economic survival of the Republic of South Sudan hinges seem to be neglected. Despite the Ministry of Internal Affairs having a higher budget than that of the combined two ministries, it is regrettable that when one reports a case to a police station, for example at Juba Central Police Station one is asked to provide a ruled paper for one’s statement otherwise none will be taken. One is bound to provide ruled paper from the local stationery shop. It is strange that police stationery is not budgeted for in an 8% budget in contrast to 1.9% combined budget of Agriculture, Forestry, and Animal Resources and Fisheries.
In conclusion, food is well known by most people as essential for nutrition for an active and healthy life as illustrated in the definition of food security in the first paragraph. As though food security was insignificant, the president did not mention any specific step on food security within the first 100 days of his new government as he did for the other sectors. The public would have been delighted to hear more of how to address the perpetual imports of food commodities from neighbours and the exorbitant prices that are a heavy burden on the poor and seem out of control. Local solutions to address the causes of food insecurity could have been welcome. The importance of availability of affordable food commodities cannot be overstated. Also the importance of a breakfast in starting a working day is well known. An empty stomach may be an impediment to creativity in addressing the multitudes of development issues. So the achievement of household food security should be of high priority. This should have featured prominently in the president’s speech to the First Joint Sitting of the Nation Legislature and to the Nation on the 8th August 2011.
The author can be reached at [email protected]