More than one million on brink of starvation in South Sudan

At least 1.25 million people in #SouthSudan are facing starvation, double the number from the same time last year, according to a report by the United Nations and the government released on Monday.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report that covers the period September 2017 - March 2018 says the current harvest season in South Sudan will not end the hunger crisis as conflict persists in most of the country and hyperinflation puts food out of reach for many.

The food security situation is projected to deteriorate at the start of 2018 and the ‘hungry season' - when households typically run out of food before the next harvest - is forecast to start three months earlier than usual. Many people have few means of coping with the stresses of the lean season, and the situation is forecast to become increasingly fragile.

The report warns that continued conflict coupled with further access constraints on aid agencies and economic instability will likely result in the deterioration of already dire conditions in multiple locations across South Sudan in 2018.

The updated IPC report was released jointly by the government and UN agencies - UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Program.

WFP deputy head of programme Jesse Wood spoke to Philip Wani in this interview.