Conflict in the Central African Republic has driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, increasing humanitarian needs.

Footage released by the World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday (December 20) showed food distribution to vulnerable displaced people in Bangui province.

In total, WFP and its partners have distributed nearly 500 tons of food including rice, split peas and oil to over 118,000 people in Bangui so far in December.

The humanitarian crisis is escalating as renewed fighting has exacerbated the already precarious security situation.

Farmers have been forced to leave their farms, depriving them of access to tools and agricultural inputs. As a result, harvests are poor and markets disrupted. Farmers have been selling food and livestock so they can feed their families, leaving them without a means of making an income.

Food prices are high and volatile due to severe disruption of markets. Maize prices in Bangui rose 31 percent over the course of the year.

"The situation in Central African Republic has deteriorated sharply. There are more than 1.3 million people in urgent need. These people don't have food, they don't have water, sanitation is a problem and WFP is responding in a timely manner," said WFP Country Director Housainou Taal.

Even before the recent renewed violence, preliminary findings from an emergency assessment indicated that 30 percent of households, representing 1.3 million people, were food insecure.

Presented by Adam Justice