Description
Main aim of the project is to strengthen food security by local community capacity building against climate change in agriculture in South Sudan – a country suffering from famine and insufficient agricultural production. The project proposal will create conditions for selected local communities for growing crops and increase agricultural production as well as dramatically improve access to water. Project aims to support 8,500 inhabitants of 3 rural communities in Cuibet region, who feed mainly as pastoralists and are therefore highly dependent on suitable climatic conditions. In dry years, they are threatened by famine. Cuibet is area suitable for agriculture. Unfortunately, the local population often lacks material equipment and know-how to start farming. Furthermore, access to drinking water is often scarce. Thanks to the project implementation, local community agricultural production and access to water will be significantly improved. The following results are expected: Result 1: Well-equipped and trained farmers growing crops. There is enough suitable soil for agricultural production in Abiriu, Malou-Pech and Ngap counties which belongs to the local community and is not used yet. 3 community farms with irrigation systems (1,260 acres) in these counties will be established. This will consist of wells and pumps. For each farm, a farm director, and a farm employee with enough experience in farming will be employed. Each farm will consist of 2 parts – one will be used for educational community farming and the other for individual farming. Farm employees will oversee farming courses for 400 local farmers. Those who prefer individual farming for their own consumption will be allotted a small 3-acre part of the field. Altogether, 1,200 acres of community soil will be distributed among 400 interested farmers in the following way – 200 farmers on 600 acres in Abiriu, 105 farmers on 315 acres in Malou-Pech and 95 farmers on 285 acres in Ngap. Each farmer will be given a starting kit consisting of a set of seeds and seedlings as well as a set of working tools. Result 2: Access to drinking water for population of Abiriu and Ngap Inhabitants of Abiriu and Ngap counties do not have access to drinking water. They currently gain water from polluted surface sources. In addition to the reparation of the currently dysfunctional well in Abiriu a new well will be drilled. Similarly, in Ngap, the currently dysfunctional well will be repaired. As a result, more than 5,500 inhabitants of these counties will have access to drinking water. Local communities will receive training on the usage of wells and pumps as well as possible reparations to build local capacities without having to rely on technical experts from Juba. To achieve the planned results, the following activities are expected to take place: • Establishment of 3 community farms with irrigation systems • Recruitment of farm employees • Purchase of seeds, seedlings, tools, and its distribution for the farmers • Crop growing together with education • Drilling of a new well and reparation of the two existing, albeit dysfunctional wells • Training of local population on well operations and maintenance Project implementation will actively incorporate measures supporting the cross-sectoral topics including gender equality – farming will be open to both men and women from local communities and women will be encouraged to apply. It also incorporates measures supporting the cross-sectoral topic of environmental protection as farmers will be educated on methods and principles of sustainable farming. Thanks to the project implementation, food security as well as access to drinking water in the participating counties will dramatically improve. As a result of the farming, local population will be less dependent on humanitarian aid and less families will be forced to migrate within South Sudan or to other countries. Project also supports economic self-sufficiency as farmers will be not only able to produce enough for their personal and family consumption but also sell any possible over-production. Since farmers are expected to supply local market, price of selected vegetables and fruits is expected to drop with increased offer which will mean lower prices for local communities. This positive community effect was observed in several previous projects implemented by the local partner in the past.