A Decade of fruitful collaboration
(JUBA), The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the South Sudan government commemorated their 10th anniversary of cooperation recently, amid calls to redouble efforts towards improving food and nutrition security.
Presided over by the Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Hon Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec and FAO Assistant Director General for Africa Abebe Haile-Gabriel, the event was held on June 20, 2023, in Juba in the presence of Diplomats, development partners, UN agencies and government line ministries.
In his official remarks at the event, the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Hon Adigo highlighted that millions of South Sudanese continue to be food insecure with children being malnourished amidst plenty of agricultural resources especially in the livestock and fisheries sectors. He further noted, “The transformation and commercialization of livestock sector requires a concerted effort from the government, development actors such as FAO, private sectors, farmers and development partners.”
Speaking at the same event, FAO Africa Assistant Director General, Abebe Haile Gabriel emphasized that the commemoration event challenges us to deeply reflect and renew our commitment for enhanced action and results supported by innovation, partnerships, and better institutional effectiveness. Reflecting on next steps, he stressed on the importance of sustainable commercialization of agri-food sectors, “which can provide a great opportunity for economic growth, employment creation and diversification of livelihoods. It is important to note here that women play an instrumental role in agriculture peace building and social cohesion”.
The important event also witnessed two undertakings, the signing of the new Country Programming Framework (CPF) to run from 2023 to 2025 and the official launch of the new FAO warehouse that would store important agricultural inputs.
The CPF was signed by FAO Representative Meschak Malo and Undersecretaries for the two Ministries of Livestock and Fisheries and Agriculture and Food security. It sets out government priority areas to guide FAO partnership during this three-year period. Speaking at the event, Malo stated that,“The CPF heralds heightened partnership and collaboration between FAO and the government of South Sudan in the next three years and is well aligned to FAO’s strategic priorities such as the Four Betters: Better production, Better nutrition, Better environment and Better life.”
Moving from dependency to food self-sufficiency
In recent years, FAO has been moving its emphasis and approach from emergency to resilience in order to realise long term food sustainability. To this end, South Sudan has to focus on how to fully exploit the vast potential in agriculture, livestock and fisheries among other sectors, to move away from dependency to food self-sufficiency.
Currently, FAO South Sudan has 28 active programmes in the country implemented across the ten states and three administrative areas under its 14 field offices. Under this renewed partnership, FAO and the government of South Sudan will work together in the next three years, focusing on key strategic areas that include, policy, strategic and institutional frameworks for agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food, and nutrition security; strengthening farmer and producer organizations; agribusiness development and market access for increased incomes; and strengthening resilient agri-food systems to threats and crisis.
Although cooperation between South Sudan and FAO started before the country achieved independence in 2011, with the opening of an FAO office in Juba in 2006, the Government officially joined as a Member State on June 16, 2013, making it 10 years of cooperation to date.
For more information, contact:
Chakanyuka Bosha, Communications Specialist, FAO South Sudan, [email protected], +211 922 002 251
Tezeta Hailemeskel, Sub Regional Communications Specialist, FAOSFE,[email protected] , +251 911 666 372