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South Sudan

South Sudan - Jie Payam Kapoeta East, Eastern Equatoria: Rapid Needs Assessment - 27 February 2022

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Lopeat is one of the Payams in Jie, Eastern Equatoria State, on the northern side of Kapoeta East County approximately 100 kilometers from Kapoeta town. It consists of 3 bomas of Chumameri, Napusiriet and Moruangipi respectively. The Bomas have 23 villages. Lopeat is a semi-arid area that borders Boma payam in Pibor administrative area. The population is approximately 14,122 according to the South Sudan national nutrition cluster statistics, it lies within an area of dry land with no river flowing through. The land is covered with short thorny shrub bushes and wild fruits which their livestock feed on. During food scarcity, women and girls mostly go and collect wild fruits traditionally known as Ng’idapala and Ng’ibeyo to supplement their diet. During a past crisis, almost half of the population in this area migrated to Boma in search of water, greener pastures for their animals and fertile land for crop cultivation. The Jie are settled in three areas including Lorumute, Lowoyapuru and Koridid at the border of Eastern Equatoria region (Kapoeta) and Pibor administrative Area (Boma). The location enjoys relative security except for the occasional cattle rustling activities that have in the past brought losses in livestock and life. Humanitarian access is possible in the dry season only. Food security remains a key challenge with perennial food shortages compounded by loss of livestock through raiding and prolonged drought that affected crop production in 2020 and 2021.The area oscillates between IPC phases 3 and 4 according to FSNMS 2021. Malnutrition is rampant, affecting close to 11% of the total number of children under 5years. No inter-agency assessment had ever been carried in this area before, thus humanitarian intervention has mainly been cluster specific. In late January 2022 the residents were critically hit with food shortages and most able bodied men, mothers and children moved to the neighbouring communities to seek assistance. Most of them moved to Kapoeta North County in Lokoges area, triggering a humanitarian crisis in the area of settlement. A rapid assessment was carried out there, but due to competing political and administrative interest, the authorities felt it is imperative to respond to these affected population in area of origin other than in the settlement area since the driving factors could find lasting and sustainable solutions. It’s on the backdrop of this resolution that an interagency assessment was carried out to understand, observe and engage the community in establishing a road map to both short term and lasting solutions. The assessment was carried out by staff from HOD-SS, WFP, AFSS, ICPDO, GREDO, ACROSS, OPRD and LEDF from the 26th through to 27th February 2022.