Abstract:
Several factor highlight food market risks and uncertainties for urban consumers in South
Sudan. First, the South Sudan’s agriculture is yet to revive appreciably from severe
disruptions caused by over two decades of civil conflicts. Secondly, rural and urban
areas are poorly integrated, mainly due to a virtual absence of transport and
communication infrastructures, as well as due to civil insecurities. As a result, major
urban markets are heavily dependent on imports of most basic food staples. The major
supply sources are North Sudan and Uganda. Khartoum and Kosti are the major centers
of procurement transactions of North-South Sudan trade, while Kampala is the major
centre of cross-border transaction of commodities flowing from Uganda. Together,
North Sudan and Uganda account for the bulk of sugar, maize flour, rice, onion, wheat
flour and sorghum sold in the four markets. This heavy dependence on importation of
food supplies implies that any adverse events, both market and non-market, on the North-
South Sudan, and/or the Kampala-South Sudan trade flows increases the vulnerability of
a large percentage of urban households
