Between July 2025 and June 2026, 2.11 million children aged 6–59 months are expected to suffer acute malnutrition and be in urgent need of nutrition services and treatment. Additionally, around 1.15 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in South Sudan areexpected to be malnourished and in need of treatment in the same period. 

An estimated 70 percent of acute malnutrition cases are concentrated in the five states of Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, Unity and Warrap. During the first projection, or harvest and post-harvest period of October 2025 to March 2026, the acute malnutrition situation is expected to deteriorate in 46 counties, with 20 likely to be classified in a higher phase. Of concern are five counties (Duk in Jonglei State; Rubkona in Unity State; and Baliet/Akoka, Ulang and Nasir in Upper Nile State) and one administrative area (Abyei Administrative Area) which are projected to slip into IPC AMN Phase 5 (Extremely Critical) during the lean season period of April to June 2026 due to factors such as conflict-instigated reduced access to nutrition and health services amid a worsening cholera outbreak and increasing food gaps.

• Promote peaceful co-existence to enable communities to engage in productive livelihoods and benefit from the dividends of peace. Sustained peace remains central to restoring normal economic and agricultural activity.
• Restore and sustain humanitarian access to ensure needs assessment and delivery of multi-sectoral assistance.
• Scale up multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance, including food, nutrition, health, WASH, and livelihoods. Life-saving treatment and prevention programs should remain a priority in all counties classified as IPC AMN Phase 3 (Serious) or worse, with particular focus on counties where acute malnutrition is classified as Critical (IPC AMN Phase 4) and Extremely Critical (IPC AMN Phase 5). Scale up Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) interventions across all administrative levels.
• Scale up livelihood support, including the provision of seeds, tools, and other agricultural inputs, to boost crop and livestock production, reduce dependence on food imports, and enhance self-sufficiency. Farmers should also be trained and supported to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, including the use of flood- and drought-tolerant crop varieties, to adapt to increasing climate variability.
• Invest in WASH and health systems, given the strong link between disease burden, malnutrition, and food utilisation. This includes emergency nutrition interventions (through in-kind, cash, or voucher modalities), particularly during the lean season, when waterborne disease incidence and acute malnutrition prevalence are highest.
• Strengthen flood early warning systems and disaster risk reduction mechanisms to minimise losses associated with recurrent flooding. This includes improving the dissemination of early warning messages, especially through community radios, during periods of heightened risk.
• Invest in key infrastructure, particularly feeder and trunk roads, to improve market access and stimulate local economies. For example, the construction of the Juba–Bor road has significantly improved the food security situation in Bor South County, which is now classified in IPC AFI Phase 2 (Stressed) acute food insecurity, demonstrating the positive impact of improved accessibility.
• Safeguard the health and productivity of livestock through regular vaccination and treatment campaigns, especially in high-risk areas prone to disease outbreaks. Many households rely on livestock as a form of capital and savings.