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Agriculture & Food Security

Agriculture is the backbone of livelihoods in South Sudan — supporting most households through farming, livestock, fishing, and natural resource use. Understanding this sector is essential to improving food security, resilience, and long-term economic growth.

Crops Livestock Fisheries Food Security Value Chains
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70–80% of livelihoods

Most households depend on farming, livestock, or fishing.

Livelihoods

Climate shocks

Floods and droughts are major drivers of food insecurity.

Resilience

Large untapped potential

Sorghum, maize, groundnuts, livestock, fisheries, horticulture.

Potential

How agriculture underpins livelihoods

Agriculture is the most important sector for food, income, and cultural identity. Despite immense potential, productivity remains low due to conflict, limited inputs, climate shocks, and restricted market access.

Main pillars

  • Crop farming: sorghum, maize, sesame, groundnuts, cassava.
  • Pastoralism: cattle, goats, sheep — central to livelihoods and social systems.
  • Fisheries: the Nile and Sudd Wetlands support one of the richest inland fisheries.
  • Horticulture: small-scale vegetable and fruit production around towns.

Key challenges

  • Low use of improved seeds, tools, and extension services.
  • Flooding disrupting production cycles.
  • Limited storage and post-harvest facilities.
  • Market access barriers due to roads and insecurity.

Crops, value chains & market systems

Most farmers operate at subsistence level, but local markets show strong demand for grains, vegetables, dairy, and animal products.

Sorghum & maize

Staple foods grown across the country. Potential for higher yields with improved seeds and inputs.

Staples

Groundnuts & sesame

Commercial potential in oilseeds and nuts, especially with better processing and packaging.

Oilseeds

Horticulture

High demand in towns for tomatoes, onions, greens — significant job potential for youth and women.

Vegetables

Livestock products

Milk, meat, hides, and skins — important for trade, nutrition, and household income.

Livestock

Fisheries

The Nile and wetlands support strong fish stocks — underdeveloped and highly promising.

Fisheries

Local processing

Milling, storage, packaging, cold chains — critical gaps that create business opportunities.

Processing

Food security landscape

Food insecurity in South Sudan is driven by climate shocks, displacement, conflict, high prices, and limited agricultural inputs.

Drivers of food insecurity

  • Floods affecting crops, grazing, and markets.
  • Displacement disrupting planting cycles.
  • High fuel prices increasing transport costs.
  • Insecurity along trade routes.

IPC & seasonal patterns

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is used to track hunger levels. The “lean season” typically peaks between April–July.

This section will later include maps and charts.

Opportunities for growth

With improved inputs, infrastructure, and stability, agriculture could become the largest engine of inclusive economic growth in South Sudan.

Improved seeds & inputs

Seed systems are weak but improving — big gap for agro-dealers and training.

  • Seed distribution networks
  • Agro-dealer hubs
  • Extension and advisory services

Storage & post-harvest

Reducing losses increases food availability and market earnings.

  • Warehouses
  • Cold-chain systems
  • Drying & processing units

Livestock value chains

From veterinary services to dairy processing, livestock has some of the highest return opportunities.

  • Vet services & vaccines
  • Dairy chilling & processing
  • Feed production

Fisheries development

One of the most promising underdeveloped sectors.

  • Fish drying, smoking, and packaging
  • Cold storage & transport
  • Hatcheries & aquaculture

Climate, floods & resilience

Recurrent floods and droughts shape production systems. Climate-smart agriculture is essential for future growth.

  • Shifting rainfall patterns change planting seasons.
  • Flooding often destroys grazing areas and crop fields.
  • Youth-led innovations emerging in climate adaptation.

Future versions will include risk maps, seasonal calendars, and adaptation models.

Suggested reading & insights

Future updates will expand this into a full brief library.

Data, caveats & sources

This page summarises publicly available information from research institutions, humanitarian reports, and multilateral organisations. Figures and contexts evolve; always refer to official documents for the latest status.