Access to food improved in most parts of the country due to improved seasonal performance
KEY MESSAGES
Despite the improvement on the current food security conditions due to good Deyr rain seasonal performance, over 2 million people still remain food insecure either at the Stressed or Crises (IPC Phase 2 or 3) levels.
Kidding, calving, and lambing started in most pastoral areas of the central, northern, and southern parts of the country, resulting in improved milk availability and increased herd sizes. This has increased access to food and income for poor households in October and November.
The off-season harvest in Middle and Lower Juba Regions, which contributes around two thirds of the national off-season Deyr crop production, is not expected in March 2013. Despite the current, good crop establishment in the agropastoral and riverine zones, the lack of river flooding along the Juba during the Deyr season may actually reduce maize availability starting in April 2013.