South Sudan Cassava Project

21 years of conflict have had a devastating effect on South Sudan. The few people who remained in the area during the conflict, and the thousands more who are now returning are struggling to make a living in one of the poorest and least developed regions in the world.

Cassava is often grown as a subsistence crop, however thanks to the high national and international demand; cassava can also be sold for a good price at market.

Farm Africa’s South Sudan Cassava Project addresses the key problems faced by farmers in Central Equatoria, one of the 10 states of Southern Sudan.  Farm Africa is helping around 2,000 farmers to grow a bigger, higher quality cassava crop, as well as connecting them to SABMiller (an African-originated, global, fast moving consumer goods company) who will provide a suitable and reliable market for their cassava crop and help them to set up bulk storage facilities and processing centres to add value to their raw cassava.

Starch extracted from the cassava will be used in the beer brewing process and any surplus cassava can be processed into flour and dried cassava chips and sold to local food industries and livestock enterprises. 

How will communities benefit?

• Through Farmer Field Schools (FFS) farmers will use demonstration plots to test improved cassava seeds, giving them the chance to grow a larger, higher quality cassava crop.
• Farm Africa will also use these demonstration plots as a practical demonstration site to train the farmers in improved farming techniques.
• Farmers will receive training to strengthen their business, finance and collective marketing skills and be provided with the support needed to access the assured market provided by SAB Miller and other markets outside SAB Miller's supply chain in order to get the best price for their crop.
• Farmers will have access to the basic infrastructure needed to add value to their raw cassava such as processing, drying and chipping centres.

Who will we help?

This project is helping around 2,000 smallholder farmers, totalling 12,000 households, over a three year period.  It is estimated that these 2,000 farmers will each see their annual income increase from $300 to $500 per 1 acre plot of cassava.

Project partners

Farm Africa is working together with SAB Miller (an African-originated, global, fast moving consumer goods company).

Media

Article in The Guardian by Mark Tran following his trip to visit our Casava project.

Click here to read Farm-Africa's publication:  Scaling-up success.  Our strategy for greater impact.