Subsistence farming in South Sudan
In South Sudan, a series of vocational training programmes in the area of livestock management and production is enhancing food security in a fragile context. An important objective of this NICHE project is to completely rebuild and modernise the knowledge base.
The project was requested by the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries (MARF) in South Sudan,
together with its affiliate Marial Lou Livestock Training Centre (MLLTC). It is being implemented in partnership with the Dutch organisation CINOP, which has formed a consortium with PTC+ and the AOC Council. The project will run until 2015.
Currently, a comprehensive livestock training and education system is being developed and implemented. Young farmers are trained in various livestock areas, including animal health and breeding for cattle and poultry. These students will in turn share their knowledge with others in their community, updating local farmers’ knowledge levels to support efforts on food security.
Challenges
South Sudan faces many challenges. It has been severely affected by decades of war, life has been completely disrupted and many people have fled the country. It is also one of the poorest regions in the world, with more than 90% of the population earning less than US$ 1 a day.
On top of all their struggles with war, drought, rains and disease the rural community faces the threat of cattle-raiding feuds between rival ethnic groups, sometimes leading to hundreds of casualties and many displacements. In such an environment it is not surprising that farmers, but also teachers have not been exposed to new knowledge and skills on cattle farming.
Armand Gaikema, Nuffic’s programme administrator for South Sudan explains, “This project is unique in the sense that it really started from scratch. When the project first started, in 2011, there was hardly any possibility for people in this region to study.”
Modernisation
“The ministry and training centre are very committed to making this project a success,“ Gaikema remarks. “Strengthening farming programmes is perceived as a way to bring modernisation to this poor region and give whole communities better access to opportunities of self-development, economic growth and improved ways of living.”