Lakes State Gov’t, UN Agencies Launch Statewide Hunger Assessment Amid Dry Spell

By Anak Dut Malual

The Lakes State government, in partnership with UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, has agreed to conduct a statewide assessment of communities facing worsening hunger and crop failures following a prolonged dry spell.

The decision was reached on Thursday during an emergency coordination meeting at the State Secretariat, bringing together government officials, humanitarian partners and representatives of UN agencies to discuss growing concerns over food insecurity and the impact of the dry spell across the state.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Governor Isaac Luka Manga on behalf of Governor Maj. Gen. Madhang Majok Meen.

Luka said the government had received alarming reports of worsening food shortages and crop failures linked to the prolonged dry spell.

“We have received serious reports concerning drought and hunger in different parts of Lakes State. Technical teams from the government, RRC, and humanitarian partners will be deployed to assess the affected areas and determine the level of need,” Luka said.

He said participants had agreed on several resolutions aimed at ensuring an effective response to the situation.

Luka added that minutes of the meeting would be prepared and presented at another meeting to discuss the financial and logistical requirements for the assessment mission.

He said the findings would help guide future interventions by the government and humanitarian partners while providing a clearer picture of the situation facing communities across the state’s eight counties.

Luka also appealed to residents to remain peaceful despite the challenges posed by hunger and economic hardship.

“I urge our people to maintain peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness as we face these challenges together,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), Mabor Paul Kordit, said the meeting reviewed reports from county coordinators on the situation in different parts of Lakes State.

Kordit said participants agreed that a comprehensive assessment was needed to establish the extent of the drought and hunger situation.

“We agreed to organize a general assessment across the state and dispatch committees to affected counties to verify the situation on the ground,” he said.

According to Kordit, assessment teams will visit affected counties to gather information on the impact of the prolonged dry spell on communities, crops and livelihoods.

“The exercise will also assess the conditions of refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons living in Lakes State, including people who fled the conflict in neighboring Sudan.”

Kordit said a follow-up meeting was scheduled for Friday to finalize plans for the assessment and determine how teams would be deployed to affected areas.

The planned exercise is expected to provide government authorities and humanitarian partners with updated information on the scale of drought and food insecurity, helping inform decisions on humanitarian assistance and recovery efforts across Lakes State.