South Sudan facing 'biggest food crisis in the world'

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank says the crisis in South Sudan is being drowned out by coverage of the conflict in Gaza, the Ebola outbreak and the Islamic extremist group ISIS.

Reporters aren't going to that area and so news of the dire situation isn't getting out, said Jim Cornelius, executive director of the Winnipeg-based agency.

He recently returned from South Sudan and believes some regions of that country will declare a famine.

"We are extremely worried," he said. "It's probably the biggest food crisis in the world."

A conflict between the government and a rebel group has forced more than a million people to be displaced — many of whom are small-scale farmers who now can't plant and harvest their own food to survive, Cornelius said.

The crisis is escalating because of the recent rainy season, which has caused aid trucks to become bogged down in the mud. There are only about 56 kilometres of paved roads in the entire country.

"We are doing our best to bring attention to it and in-house, trying to restructure some of our resources to increase what we are able to do in the area," Cornelius said.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank said it is providing food for more than 1,600 families, with more aid being planned.