Sowing Resilience: Transforming Lives in Akobo County
A transformative story of resilience and renewal is unfolding in Akobo County, South Sudan. Pech Bichiock Nhial, a 38-year-old farmer and leader of the Nipnip vegetable farmers group, recalls a time when his family of six faced daily struggles for survival. “Before the RALP [Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project] project, we used to cultivate small pieces of land less than a feddan. The vegetables we produced could not last for three months,” he shared. “After finishing our little produce, we had nothing left, and hunger would start immediately. I could only support my family through fishing, collecting firewood, and begging from relatives.”
The Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (RALP), implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and FAO in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and funded by the World Bank, began in Akobo County in 2023 with a mission to build the capacity of farmers like Pech. Through the project, Pech and the 29 other members of the Nipnip group received essential farming tools, seeds, and training in good agricultural practices.
With this support, the group established a vegetable garden to cultivate crops. “My family’s life has profoundly changed with the support from FAO and NRC,” Pech explained. “We no longer face the challenges of hunger. Our farming now produces enough vegetables for consumption, and we even sell the surplus in the market.”
The impact of the project is evident. In just three months, the group earned an impressive SSP 2 463 500 (USD 751) from selling their vegetable produce. The income has been life-changing for Pech and his group members. “We use the money for various purposes, including school fees for our children, medical expenses, and other family needs,” Pech said with pride.
The success of the Nipnip group has also inspired a vision for the future. Pech and his fellow farmers plan to expand their vegetable garden and explore farming as a business. “In the next five to ten years, with the knowledge we’ve gained from FAO and NRC, we hope to extend our farming into a sustainable business,” he said.
Pech’s story is one of many in Akobo County, where the RALP project is transforming lives and communities. Pech reflects, “Thanks to the Government of South Sudan, FAO, NRC, and the World Bank for their support under this project. It has greatly benefited my family and the whole community.”
Through projects like RALP, FAO and its partners continue to create lasting impacts, empowering farmers to move from subsistence to resilience and paving the way for a brighter future in South Sudan.