Local authorities in Eastern Equatoria state’s Lafon County are deeply concerned about the hunger situation facing the population that forced the community to depend on wild fruits to survive.
Commissioner Magisto Okach told Radio Emmanuel that most people in Lafon County trek to Torit and Juba with animals for sale to buy food to sustain their lives.
According to Commissioner Okach, the area experienced hunger in early April this year which made them feed on coconut and other green fruits.
“Lafon is okay with security wishes, but it is only hunger intensifying here, people depend on wild fruits such as the coconut, green fruits, and any wild fruits, and the situation worsens from early April upto this time,;” Okech said
Okach says the World Food Programme WFP of the United Nations manages to provide Humanitarian assistance which has not covered the population in the County. He cites Burgilo and Kurumi Payams as having benefited from the assistance.
He acknowledges the support from the state Authority calling on the entire population in Lafon County to embark on agriculture to battle Hunger in the area.
“The next step will be shared by the high authority at the state level because if the situation worsens, they will advise the local authority, because of their concern that WFP is giving some support to the population on the ground,” he said.
Lafon County Commissioner Hon. Magisto Okach also revealed that the shortage of drinking water is putting the lives of people with their animals in Danger as many depend on rainwater during the rainy season.
He said the area has taken one month without rain yet many boreholes have spoiled making water a challenge to the people in the Lafon area.
Okach calls for support from the Humanitarian agencies to repair and drill more boreholes to save the situation.