In Kapoeta North County, residents are reportedly worried about climate change as their crops are drying up due to inadequate rainfall.
The Inter-Government Authority on Development Climate Center recently predicted that from June to September this year, South Sudan will have insufficient rainfall.
According to ICPAC-IGAD, Djibouti, Eritrea, Central and Northern Ethiopia, Western Kenya, Northern Uganda and much of South Sudan and Sudan are expected to receive insufficient rainfall until the end of September.
The County Commissioner of Kapoeta North, Emmanuel Lolimo Epone, is worried that if no intervention is done, the community in Kapoeta North will suffer from starvation and hunger soon.
“As I speak, the crops that were planted are drying up and now the people are worried and others have started coming to county office and asking what should be done,’’ Lolimo told TRC.
‘’Now this will be a disaster for the entire county and there is nothing that can be done. we are appealing to the state government and partners to intervene, rescue the situation because if it continues up to the end of the month, it will be hard and the people will start to migrate to other places because the entire greater Kapoeta is affected.”
Generally, South Sudan is simultaneously drowning and drying as the climate crisis tightens its grip, according to the UN World Food Program. An unprecedented flooding crisis has swallowed large swathes of the country while other parts are grappling with devastating drought.
It says two-thirds of the population – over 7.7 million people – are facing crisis or worse levels of hunger. This is the highest number ever, surpassing that seen even at the height of the country’s civil war.
Four consecutive years of record flooding has led to widespread displacement, the destruction of livelihoods and the loss of arable land – contributing to rising hunger. The effects of these concurrent climate shocks are compounded by rising food and fuel prices and ongoing conflict.
