Hunger worsens in South Sudan

Civil war in South Sudan has made the hunger crisis much worse, despite this being the harvest season, according to a report by the government, the United Nations and a humanitarian group.

Almost five million people - close to half the population - are classified as severely food insecure. That's an increase of more than a million people on the same period last year.

Hyperinflation has caused food prices to soar as fighting across South Sudan has brought instability and economic crisis. 

More than a million children are expected to be malnourished next year, and the UN says that in the worst case scenario there could be famine in several areas. 

In a statement Serge Tissot, the South Sudan representative of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisaton, said:

"The harvest season has not brought much relief to the millions of people in South Sudan who don't have enough food.

"The country's greenbelt has been ravaged by fighting, and finding a peaceful solution to this man-made tragedy should be the top priority or the situation will get even worse next year."