Empowering South Sudan farmers to unlock agricultural potential

In a country where a good percentage of the population are farmers, there is extreme poverty, which, according to a World Bank report, affects over two-thirds of the population. In South Sudan, the heavy reliance on food importation is not a tale, but a pressing national crisis.

Despite 95% of the population relying on agriculture, over 78% live in poverty. As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, South Sudan is affected by erratic rains, drought, and conflict, leaving 54% of people, especially women and children, in a state of food insecurity. The key to breaking this cycle lies in the speedy growth of the agricultural sector and using it as the primary tool to achieve lasting food security.

IITA–CGIAR, in collaboration with the government of South Sudan through its Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is exploring ways to embed CGIAR technologies and innovative solutions into existing country programs such as the Climate Resilient Agri-Food Systems Transformation (CRAFT-1). This will help build pathways for transforming the country’s agricultural sector and strengthen MAFS’ agricultural research capacity for sustainable agricultural development, thereby boosting the country’s economic growth.

Read more