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Two new projects totaling $116 million aim to restore livelihoods, food security
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The country faces increasing levels of food insecurity despite increased production
World Bank has approved two new projects totaling $116 million for South Sudan that aim to strengthen the capacity of farmers, improve agricultural production, and restore livelihoods and food security.
The South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (RALP) provides a grant of $62.5 million that will support investments in training for farmers to help them efficiently manage their organizations, adopt new technology, and use climate smart agriculture practices to boost their yields.
The Emergency Locust Response Project (ELRP), which consists of a grant for $53.7 million, will boost South Sudan’s response to desert locusts by restoring livelihoods for the poorest and strengthening the country’s preparedness systems.
South Sudan is facing increasing levels of food insecurity despite increased production, with exceptionally high food prices constraining access to food for large segments of the population and desert locusts devouring crops.
It is projected that 7.2 million people will face acute food insecurity in the coming months, which is the highest number since independence.
“These two timely projects provide a mix of investments in social protection and agriculture to address drivers of both acute and chronic food insecurity,” said Ousmane Dione, World Bank Country Director, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan.
“The implementation modality supports a broader agenda of institutional capacity building for the Government of the Republic of South Sudan,” he added.
The two grants will be the first World Bank-financed projects since 2018 to be implemented through government systems, specifically the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.