Violence Against Women
A new programme in the Republic of South Sudan is helping vulnerable farmers to improve their livelihoods by boosting the quality of the seeds used to produce key crops.
The project, valued at more than $600 000 (EUR 500 000), will help to train farmers in the production, storage and marketing of quality seeds and cuttings for staple crops like sorghum, maize, cassava and cowpeas. It will also increase the availability of seeds to South Sudan’s most vulnerable farmers.
With the support of the Government of France, FAO is joining efforts with the South Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture to implement the year-long programme in several states.
The head of FAO’s office in Juba Sue Lautze says "despite widespread food insecurity, the country is committed to ensuring food security for all, as soon as possible.
” Being supported by 400 seed producer, these are highly successful small farmers who, someday we hope will become the core of the commercial seed enterprise for South Sudan. The beneficiaries of the project, who themselves will take these seeds and in turn produce food that will consumed at the end of 2013 and into 2014 are located in five States.”
Those states are Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Lakes, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
Half of the beneficiaries are women.
Technical know-how helps to improve seed and crop quality.