LocationsPlanting Seeds of Prosperity: IBSA and UNDP Transforming Rural Livelihoods in South Sudan
March 9, 2026
Some members of the Koyle Farmers Group are weeding their farm.
The Koyle farmers group in Rejaf West is one of four groups that have benefited from the Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Sustainable Agriculture (EWYSA) project. The project brought together 50 small-scale farmers who grow okra, amaranth, jute mallow, eggplant, kale, cowpeas, and tomatoes. The farmers come from different parts of Rejaf West. Their motivation to create a better life for themselves and their families pushes them to walk long distances to and from their farms every day. They initially faced challenges such as roaming animals destroying crops, poor-quality seeds, pests, and manual farming methods that required too much effort and investment, leading to little or no crop production, significantly reduced yields, and barely any income. These farms have now turned into a haven for them.
South Sudan, located in East-Central Africa, is a diverse country with a varied climate, ranging from tropical in the south to arid in the north. The country has a tropical climate with high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons, which makes reliable water sources essential for farmers to sustain year-round farming. 95 percent of the population depends on farming, fishing, or herding to meet their food and income needs. Yet South Sudan still faces one of the world's most severe humanitarian and food-security crises.
The Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Sustainable Agriculture (EWYSA) project, a USD 1,000,000 initiative funded by the India, Brazil, and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA) Fund through South-South Cooperation, aims to improve food security, employment, and income for women and youth in South Sudan while strengthening their resilience to climate change. Its main objective was to build the capacity of women and young farmers in vegetable production by removing barriers to quality seeds, tools, technology, and finance, and by linking them to markets and extension support. The project targeted about 1,200 beneficiaries across three payams, with approximately 60 percent women, and focused on strengthening sustainable agricultural livelihoods and community development.
Before picture of the Koyle Farmers Group's fenced garden site, one of the EWYSA project's interventions.
Since December 2025, the Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Sustainable Agriculture (EWYSA) project's interventions have been transformative. Through the project, women and youth farmers received support to install irrigation systems and perimeter fences. To boost production, the farmers were supplied with seeds, farming tools, and other agricultural inputs. They also work with an agricultural extension worker from the State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Central Equatoria State, who began training farmers in best farming practices and promoting climate-smart agriculture to help them adapt to changing conditions and connect with markets.
Lorna Poni, 35, is very grateful for the support. She is a single mother of five children who grows okra, jute mallow, amaranth, and cowpeas. She used to farm in the area because she lacked land. Like other group members, she lost crops to livestock, plant diseases, water shortages during the dry season, and theft because her farms were not fenced. She experienced losses because of these issues. However, since joining the Koyle Farmers Group, she has benefited from security, higher yields, and training in climate-smart farming techniques. So far, she has harvested jute mallow and eggplant and sold them to a supplier in the Konyo Konyo area. She also mentioned that her family's nutrition has improved since the group started growing kale, which they share among themselves to feed their families.
“This project is the best thing that has happened to us. We do both group and individual farming. I once sold my jut mellow and paid fees for my children and got medication for my youngest child. For the eggplant harvest we grew as a group, we recorded sales of SSP 300,000, which we have deposited into our savings account. I am really thankful to IBSA and UNDP.” Says Lorna Poni.
Lorna Poni posing near her jut mellow plants at the farm in Rejaf West
Another beneficiary, Simon Duku, 25, is married with 2 children. He lived in Jondoru and worked as a casual labourer, barely able to make ends meet. Originally from Rejaf West, he heard about the EWYSA project from village elders. With only hope and a desire for a brighter future, he moved his family back to the village to join the Koyle farmers and try his hand at farming. He has no regrets. Through the project, he learned to mix pesticides, use smart agricultural techniques such as drip irrigation, and assess seed quality. With this newfound expertise, he can train other farmers within the group and in the community. He is also pleased with the harvests and to have sold his produce to retailers at the famous Konyo Konyo market.
“We are very happy with this project. When you teach a man to fish, you change his life forever. I am very happy with the farming experience I am getting here. We request that the donor invest more in women and youth. I also appreciate the market linkages to different vegetable retailers in Juba. I am now confident of a brighter future for my family,” says Simon Duku.
Simon Duku digging an area secluded for planting tomato seedlings.
Stephen Befo, an agricultural extension worker with the State Ministry of Agriculture, assigned to the Koyle Farmers group, confirms that the journey has not been easy but has been steady and progressive. Seedlings in nurseries sometimes die from excessive heat, low water levels, and clogging of irrigation emitters, requiring manual watering with watering cans. Despite these challenges, they have achieved 3 to 2 harvests across different crops, and the farmers have begun saving the money from their sales. Additionally, the market linkages with retailers in Gumbo and Konyo Konyo markets require a steady supply, thereby improving farmers' livelihoods over time. The farmers are now adopting agricultural practices they believe will have a lasting impact, enhancing resilience and food security.
Stephen Befo, an agricultural extension worker, during his interview at the farm.
Farmers are increasingly optimistic as they begin to see tangible results from their hard work. With both individual farming and collective group farming within the shared plots, they have a dual opportunity to expand production and foster their economic resilience. They say the project is already addressing many long-standing challenges small-scale farmers have faced, including limited access to reliable resources and climate-related shocks. Most importantly, their ability to farm year-round despite harsh climate patterns is their biggest win.
A harvest of eggplant and okra by the farmers is ready for dispatch to the market
Lorna Poni and another farmer from the Koyle group pose with their harvest.
The Empowering Women and Youth to Drive Sustainable Agriculture (EWYSA) project showcases the great spirit of South-South cooperation to foster the self-reliance of developing countries by enhancing their creative capacity to find solutions to their development problem. Three developing countries (India, Brazil, and South Africa) came together to help South Sudan achieve its long-term goals of food Security, economic empowerment, and climate resilience.
To ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the project, the Government of South Sudan, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and Oxfam, in close collaboration with the donor, the Republic of South Africa, have maintained strong oversight and coordination through regular project steering committee meetings, field monitoring, and ongoing community engagement. These efforts give the partners a platform to review progress, address implementation challenges, strengthen accountability, and ensure that project activities stay responsive to local community needs.
The embassy of the Republic of South Africa in South Sudan, led by Counsellor Luvuyo addressing EWYSA beneficiaries during a field visit in one of the project sites in Luri.
The EWYSA project was officially launched in South Sudan in August 2025. The project design was initiated and discussed with the Government of South Sudan, as it aligns with its National Food Security Strategy and the Africa Climate Smart commitments (2023). It will also support the national goals outlined in the South Sudan Blue Economy strategy (2021) and the Global Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 13 (Climate action).
Dr. Mohamed Abchir, UNDP Resident Representative (left), Adv. Mahlodi Muofhe, Ambassador of the South African Embassy (center), and Hon. Lily Kapuki, State Minister of Agriculture and Environment, officially inaugurated the 1st garden site.
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