The Ministry of Agriculture in Eastern Equatoria has sounded a hunger threat alarm saying feeding aid is needed for some areas of the state under acute food shortage.
Jerome Surur Gama singled out Kapoeta East as the most affected county in the state.
He told Radio Emmanuel that over 215,000 people need food assistant in the state due to poor rains and some pests that did not allow crops to grow.
He noted that as the dry season sets in, pastoral communities will move away with their animals leaving the children and elderly behind in need of food assistance.
Mr Surur blamed the hunger threat to poor rains experienced in the three counties of Kapoeta South, North and East.
He said lack of rain did not allow sorghum, the staple food in Greater Kapoeta, to grow.
Mr Surur said there was a good crop in Magwi, Ikwotos and Budi Counties, this year.
He added that prices went down in Torit due to an abundance of cassava, potatoes, beans, maize and other products grown locally.
Mr Surur said local crops reduced the tendency of importing everything from the neighbouring countries.
The minister called on farmers to produce more crops next year to offset food threats and bring prices down at local markets.