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Overview
The impact of conflict and civil insecurity is deepening food insecurity in South Sudan, with over half of the population (about 7.7 million people, or 57 percent) facing high levels of acute food insecurity IPC AFI Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between April and July 2025. Among these are 83,000 people experiencing catastrophic food insecurity in IPC AFI Phase 5, in Pibor County of Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Luakpiny/Nasir, Ulang, Malakal counties of Upper Nile State, and 39,000 people returning to South Sudan after fleeing the conflict in Sudan. Luakpiny/Nasir and Ulang are at risk of Famine in the worstcase scenario. Urgent and immediate action is needed for these populations, including large-scale and multi-sectoral response and the protection of humanitarian access to prevent the total collapse of livelihoods, increased starvation, death and possible deterioration into a full-blown Famine.
The IPC findings also reveal that around 2.4 million people (18 percent of the population analysed) are facing IPC AFI Phase 4 (Emergency) levels of acute food insecurity and nearly 5.2 million people (38 percent of the population analysed) are facing IPC AFI Phase 3 (Crisis) levels of acute food insecurity.
These populations require urgent response action to address their food needs and to protect and save lives and livelihoods. The analysis update portrays an increase of 46,000 people facing high levels of acute food insecurity in South Sudan compared to the last projection conducted in October 2024.
Food insecurity in South Sudan is mainly driven by the conflict and resultant civil insecurity which has displaced people out their homes, disrupted markets and livelihood activities, and hindered the delivery of multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance. Another key factor driving food insecurity is the ongoing economic crisis which is characterized by local currency depreciation, high food prices, and eroding household purchasing power. Furthermore, climatic shocks—particularly flooding—are negatively impacting agricultural production, disrupting market functionality, and destroying infrastructure such as roads. The food insecurity situation is compounded by shrinking humanitarian resources and access constraints on the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The current levels of humanitarian food security assistance remain largely insufficient to meet the needs and demands of people in IPC AFI Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse).
The overall malnutrition burden has increased from 2.1 million to 2.3 million children under the age of five experiencing acute malnutrition and in need of treatment in 2025, compared to the previous IPC projection. This is a 10.5% increase in acute malnutrition, translating to an additional 218,000 children malnourished and in need of treatment. While 714,439 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition, about 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to need treatment for acute malnutrition.
Regarding the severity of the situation, out of the 80 counties analysed, 62 counties show a general deterioration in acute malnutrition. Of these, 11 counties are likely to deteriorate to a higher IPC AMN phase; with three counties (Luakpiny/Nasir and Ulang) moving from IPC AMN Phase 4 (Critical) to IPC AMN Phase 5 (Extremely Critical); three counties (Gogrial East, Tonj North and Torit) moving from IPC AMN Phase 3 (Serious) to IPC AMN Phase 4 (Critical), and five counties (Mundri East, Mundri West, Tambura and Nagero) moving from IPC AMN Phase 2 (Alert) to IPC AMN Phase 3 (Serious).
Deterioration in the acute malnutrition situation in this projection update has been attributed to various factors including the impact of renewed conflict on access to health and WASH services, higher disease burden of malaria, diarrhoea, and cholera, minimal capacity to respond, and shrinking humanitarian resources.
As the levels of severe acute malnutrition and food insecurity in the country remain high, urgent action and multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance is required to save lives, avert a further deterioration in acute malnutrition and mortality among children, and prevent the total collapse of livelihoods, health systems and sanitation services in the affected counties.