South Sudan : World Bank and FAO support agriculture

It will help adapt climate-smart technologies to improve agricultural production, particularly rain-fed rice cultivation in flood-affected areas; reduce deforestation through the introduction of fuel-efficient stoves; support the livestock sector and animal health through monitoring, reporting and diagnostics; provide post-harvest support for fish processing and handling; and supply disaster risk management equipment for early warning. The project is being implemented by the FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as part of a hybrid scheme that is gradually building national project management capacity. The project will also provide seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs and tools needed to reduce the adverse effects of climate variability and enable a sufficient harvest.

“This contribution is essential to strengthen the resilience of small-scale farmers in the face of increasing climate shocks, and to minimize damage to their crops, livestock and livelihoods. We need to act before extreme events occur, rather than reacting to disasters after they have happened. Agriculture is particularly vulnerable to these climate shocks, and where 90 percent of the population depends on agriculture, livestock and fisheries for their livelihoods, it is of the utmost importance to invest in the protection of crops, livestock and inputs,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.

In South Sudan, FAO is providing livestock vaccines and treatments, solar irrigation pumps and post-harvest equipment, farmer training, agricultural support and fisheries assistance to restore food security, nutrition and resilience. The voucher program is another key intervention that continues to significantly empower vulnerable communities, through the distribution of seeds and small ruminants to help farmers replenish their stocks, while enabling communities to engage in specific work to improve agricultural production and receive cash as compensation. This approach not only contributes to immediate agricultural recovery, but also promotes community resilience and long-term economic stability to strengthen farmers’ resilience to flooding and other disaster risks.