LocationsHow UNDP and Partners Are Driving Resilience Through Private Sector Development, Rural Finance, and Climate-Smart Agriculture
May 27, 2026
Acting UNDP Resident Representative Sheila Ngatia joins Vice President H.E. Wani Igga at the UNDP stand during the 2026 Agricultural Conference, showcasing and viewing products from our program beneficiaries.
The South Sudan Agriculture Conference 2026, which took place from 04–08 May in Juba, was convened under the Presidential directive designating 2025 as the Year of Agriculture. The conference, themed “Investing in Agri – food systems for better life in South Sudan,” was a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and the United Nations. It aimed to chart a transformative path for South Sudan’s agricultural development through evidence-based strategies and multi-stakeholder engagement.
South Sudan is richly endowed with natural resources, including over 80% arable land, abundant water sources such as the Nile and vast wetlands, and favorable agro-ecological zones that support a wide range of agricultural activities, including livestock, fisheries, crop production, and forestry, yet only about 6% of its arable land is cultivated. Agricultural production and productivity account for only 15% of the GDP, and it employs 80% of the population.
The primary objective of the South Sudan Agriculture Conference 2026 was to strengthen the private sector’s role in building an inclusive and competitive agri-food system that drives sustainable growth. The conference promoted the adoption of innovative technologies that enhance productivity and efficiency among smallholder farmers, while also advancing youth and women’s participation and leadership in agricultural transformation. Emphasis on the critical role of investment in agriculture as a vehicle for economic growth and food security. It sought to strengthen partnerships across government, private sector, academia, development partners, and civil society to unlock South Sudan’s agricultural potential. It leveraged diversified financing mechanisms to support sustainable agriculture and expand agribusiness trade and investment at national, regional, and international levels. The conference also raised awareness among policymakers, investors, and stakeholders about the Comprehensive Agriculture Master Plan (CAMP) and the Irrigation Development Master Plan (IDMP) as the key National Agricultural Investment Plan, which guides the development of South Sudan’s agricultural sector.
Day 1 focused on pre-conference activities, including registration, exhibition setup, and the arrival of delegates and exhibitors showcasing innovations across agriculture value chains. Day 2 set the stage with official opening sessions, where participants emphasized transforming agriculture from subsistence to a market-oriented system through modern technologies, private sector engagement, improved infrastructure, and stronger regulatory systems to enhance productivity and market access.
Stakeholders at the Agricultural Conference held in Juba, South Sudan
Day 3 centered on policy, partnerships, and investment, highlighting South Sudan’s untapped agricultural potential alongside key challenges such as food insecurity and low productivity. Participants and presenters called for accelerated mechanization, stronger farmer organizations, and expanded access to finance. Day 4 captured community voices and concluded with recommendations to create an enabling environment for private sector investment, strengthen value chains, expand irrigation, and promote climate resilience.
Our beneficiaries proudly showcased their products at the Agriculture Conference exhibition, highlighting the impact of the Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Sustainable Agriculture (EWYSA) and Youth Enterprise Development and Capacity Building (YEDCB) projects. EWYSA with funding from India, Brazil, and South Africa, the Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Fund), focuses on empowering vulnerable groups, including female-headed households, widows, young mothers, survivors of gender based violence, persons with disabilities, and unemployed youth by promoting vegetable production and climate-smart agriculture to improve food security, create employment, strengthen resilience, and enhance climate adaptation. The YEDCB project, funded by the African Development Bank and implemented by UNDP, supports young women and men aged 18 to 35 through interest-free loans and technical training to build skills, reduce unemployment, and foster private sector growth in South Sudan.
EWYSA beneficiary farmers exhibiting vegetables and other agricultural products at the Agricultural Conference 2026.
The Government's Continued Commitment to a Food Secure South Sudan
During the event, Hon. Lily Albino Akol, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, highlighted that the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis (April to July 2026) indicates that about 7.8 million people, over half of the population, are facing Crisis levels of acute food insecurity, an increase from previous assessments. Of these, approximately 73,000 people are experiencing catastrophic hunger, with extreme food gaps and risk of death. Additionally, more than 2.2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, highlighting a worsening nutrition crisis. She, however, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to transforming the agricultural sector through a comprehensive and coordinated approach. The Government’s key priorities include strengthening production and productivity, promoting climate-smart agriculture, improving access to agricultural inputs and rural services, enhancing early warning systems, and advancing data-driven decision-making.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has further prioritized strategic interventions aimed at unlocking investment and driving sector growth. These interventions include strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks to ensure land tenure security and create a conducive environment for investment, promoting tax exemptions on agricultural inputs and equipment while addressing trade barriers, and facilitating access to financing and extension services. These efforts are intended to enable farmers to adopt modern technologies and best practices, thereby enhancing overall agricultural productivity and resilience.
Hon. Lily Albino Akol, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, delivering her speech at the Agricultural Conference 2026
“We must scale up production, invest in appropriate mechanization, promote climate-smart agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen cooperative models, and build better market access. At the same time, we must ensure that our interventions are inclusive. Youth and women are central to the future of agriculture in South Sudan. Their participation, innovation, and leadership must be strengthened across all value chains,” added Hon. Lily Albino Akol
Community Driven Solutions at the Heart of UNDP’s Food Security Efforts
UNDP also participated in Panel discussions to share knowledge with other Local Innovations that work: Scaling up community innovations. UNDP is advancing innovative solutions to drive agricultural development and inclusive growth across South Sudan. Through six innovation hubs, UNDP supports women and youth with business development, entrepreneurship training, e commerce services, and peer learning by bringing farmers from different states together to exchange knowledge and best practices. These efforts are reinforced by Dukaanye, the country’s largest digital marketplace, which strengthens market linkages and expands access to buyers. In parallel, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development Bank (YEDCB) project, supported by the African Development Bank, has empowered over 780 micro and small enterprises while accelerating the nationwide uptake of mobile money with over SSP. 7 billion disbursed. This has laid the foundation for sustainable, agency based financial services that respond to diverse community needs, complemented by government reforms aimed at expanding mobile wallet users from 2 million to 10 million.
Building on these foundations, the Rural Enterprise for Agricultural Development (READ) project, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), introduces a first of its kind matching grant and blended finance model to unlock agricultural financing and scale cooperatives, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Cooperative Bank of South Sudan. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the model is designed around a graduation pathway, where cooperatives receive support based on their level of maturity and readiness to engage with markets and financial support. Through this approach, emerging cooperatives will receive more foundational support to get them ready for financing, while more advanced cooperatives are progressively linked to co-financing, market opportunities, and loan products as their governance, business performance, and financial readiness improve. This approach directly addresses financing gaps faced by cooperatives and MSMEs that lack collateral or credit history, promotes inclusion by prioritizing women and youth led agribusinesses, and enables cooperative graduation, enterprise growth, and rural economic transformation.
“Innovation is critical to driving agricultural growth in South Sudan. The government should play a key role in setting enabling frameworks and standards. Real impact comes from working closely with state and county authorities, farmers, women, and youth to localize solutions that respond to the unique conditions and needs of communities,” said Hai Ha Vu Thi, Acting Team Leader – UNDP
Hai Ha Vu Thi, the Acting Team Leader, provides insights into UNDP’s work in supporting food security in South Sudan
Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through the Communities We Support
Africa Cornerstone is an emerging medium-sized enterprise based in Juba, South Sudan, contributing to local economic development through value addition and job creation in the Agricultural Sector. Established three years ago, the company has steadily expanded its operations by focusing on producing and distributing essential food products made from locally sourced raw materials. The enterprise produces simsim oil, groundnut products, and blended soybean (SPS). However, in 2024, the business received a 6 million South Sudanese Pounds interest–free loan from the African Development Bank and UNDP, which gave their business a much-needed boost. They used the loan to procure raw materials such as simsim (sesame), groundnuts, and soybeans. This investment strengthened production capacity and enabled more consistent output, allowing the company to respond effectively to growing market demand and grow. They also improved their packaging as part of their marketing strategy. A key milestone for African Cornerstone has been obtaining certification from the South Sudan Bureau of Standards. This recognition affirms the quality of its products and creates opportunities for broader market access and export potential. The expansion into regional markets reflects increasing confidence in the quality and reliability of its products. They have started getting orders for SimSim oil and Groundnut oil in Kenya and Uganda.
Cissy during a panel discussion on the International Year of Women Farmers at the Agricultural Conference
Through its growth, Africa Cornerstone is strengthening local agricultural value chains by consistently purchasing produce from farmers and providing them with a reliable market. By working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to train farmers on access to quality seeds and the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices, and by introducing new crops not traditionally grown in South Sudan, such as sunflower, the initiative is raising production standards and improving outputs. Africa Cornerstone takes a hands-on approach across the entire agricultural production chain, from pre-production and cultivation to harvesting, post-harvest handling, agro processing, and distribution. This integrated model ensures that products meet both local and international market requirements while securing stable and sustainable livelihoods for farming communities.
“I am deeply grateful for the support we have received from UNDP, the African Development Bank, and the Ministry of Agriculture. The guidance, linkages, capacity building, and interest-free loan have truly transformed our business. This support has not only enabled us to grow but also to give back to our communities. Today, we are building the capacity of 45 farmers in Eastern Equatoria, strengthening the entire agricultural production chain and ensuring consistent quality from farm to market.” Says Cissy Apiyo, Managing Director, Africa Corner Stone
Conference Resolutions and Recommendations to Strengthen Agri-Food Systems
The strategy to strengthen agri-food systems focuses on transforming agriculture from subsistence to commercial production by improving productivity, strengthening crop protection, and expanding access to markets. This requires a stable and secure environment, improved road infrastructure, greater private sector participation, adoption of modern farming practices, expanded financial opportunities, and stronger pest and disease management systems. At the same time, transitioning to mechanized agriculture is essential, with measures such as tax exemptions on machinery, establishment of local agro-mechanization service centers, and increased investment in appropriate farming equipment to improve efficiency and reduce labor constraints.
Strengthening agricultural systems also depends on building effective cooperatives, improving access to affordable finance, and creating an enabling environment for private sector investment through supportive policies, security, and strong public-private partnerships. Expanding value chains in fisheries and livestock will further enhance production, processing, and market access, while investments in climate-resilient agriculture and technologies will help communities adapt to environmental shocks. In addition, scaling up irrigation systems will reduce reliance on rainfall and boost year-round production. Overall, stronger agricultural financing frameworks, including increased government budget allocations, subsidized credit, and coordinated stakeholder engagement, are critical to driving sustainable agricultural growth and improving livelihoods.
Prof. Leben served as Senior Rapporteur as part of UNDP’s in-kind support to the Agricultural Conference, presenting the conference communique
UNDP is well-positioned to accelerate impact by supporting the Government to strengthen food systems governance at both national and state levels, ensuring more coordinated, efficient, and accountable delivery. This includes expanding agro-production, processing, and storage infrastructure for priority value chains, while reinforcing cooperatives and rural financial systems to unlock inclusive economic growth. By scaling climate resilience and early action measures, UNDP can help safeguard livelihoods, enhance productivity, and reduce vulnerability to shocks. At the same time, investing in youth and women agripreneurship offers a powerful pathway to drive peace, stability, and sustainable economic transformation. By integrating these interventions, UNDP can catalyze a more resilient, inclusive, and market-oriented agricultural sector that delivers lasting impact for communities across the country.
UNDP is committed to linking governance, value chains, and climate finance to unlock agrifood-led growth and resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart food systems for the people of South Sudan, thanks to the generous support of our partners IFAD, the African Development Bank, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the IBSA fund.
Representatives from GoSS, UNDP, FAO, farmers, and the private sector pose for a group photo after the conclusion of one of the sessions.
