As the political conflict continues in South Sudan, feuding sides have yet to realize that impending famine could disarm them both. While governments throughout the Middle East and Africa loudly devolve, a much quieter implosion threatens the future stability of this already war-torn country. With more than 1 million people displaced by fighting this year alone, the disruption of traditional agricultural cycles is promising record scarcity and potentially the worst famine in Africa since the 1980’s. Limited infrastructure and seasonal flooding will only scale these impacts, hampering aid efforts and derailing an already tenuous peace process.

Before this year, the South Sudanese were slowly making gains towards better food security. This came after decades of perpetual conflict, which limited market growth and infrastructure development, making the population particularly vulnerable to violence, drought, and famine. Recent fighting has reignited this trend.

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Photo credit: Oxfam International via flickr