Juba: South Sudan is grappling with one of the world’s worst hunger emergencies as millions face acute food shortages driven by conflict, government corruption, climate shocks, and shrinking international aid. Humanitarian agencies warn that without urgent intervention, thousands of children could die from malnutrition.

According to aid agencies, about 2.3 million children under the age of five require treatment for acute malnutrition, with more than 700,000 in severe condition. An additional 1.1 million pregnant and lactating women are also malnourished. Nearly 9 million of the country’s almost 12 million people depend on humanitarian assistance, while poverty levels have surged, with 92 percent of the population living below the national poverty line.

The crisis has been fueled by renewed fighting, particularly in Upper Nile State, where clashes between government troops and armed groups have displaced thousands and blocked humanitarian access. Flooding and failed harvests have further reduced food availability, while outbreaks of cholera and malaria have weakened already vulnerable communities.

Aid cuts have exacerbated the situation, with major donors including the United States scaling back support. Save the Children has been forced to close 28 malnutrition centers, and UNICEF reports that two-thirds of its nutrition sites are now operating with reduced staff. The shortage of ready-to-use therapeutic food, critical for treating severely malnourished children, poses a grave risk to survival.

At the same time, corruption and mismanagement within the government have diverted vital resources away from public services. A United Nations report revealed that billions in state revenues, including funds from an “Oil for Roads” scheme, were misappropriated, with little evidence of promised infrastructure projects. South Sudan’s government allocates only 1.3 percent of its budget to health, forcing most of the system to rely on foreign aid.

The most affected regions include Upper Nile and refugee settlements in Maban County, where displaced families face shrinking rations, soaring prices, and the collapse of school feeding programs. Many hospitals and clinics remain understaffed or closed, leaving pregnant women and children without care.

Humanitarian agencies are calling for urgent restoration of donor funding, unimpeded access to conflict zones, and stronger domestic accountability to ensure public resources reach those in need. They also emphasize the importance of building long-term resilience through climate-adapted agriculture and improved health infrastructure.

Without immediate and coordinated action, aid groups warn, South Sudan risks sliding into famine conditions that could claim thousands of lives, particularly among children.