Sustainable farming
Jesus was inspired by farmers and those who made their living from the land. Solidarity with South Sudan is following in His footsteps, dedicating personnel and resources to assisting and empowering the people of Riimenze, and surrounding areas, to learn best practices in farming and food production.
In the heart of the fertile state of Western Equatoria, South Sudan, is Riimenze, a land of considerable agricultural potential whose full development has long been held back by armed conflicts, recurrent flooding and subsequent forced migration. Against this backdrop, the Sustainable Agriculture Project in Riimenze (SAP-R) is primarily committed to empowering communities, enabling them to secure livelihoods for themselves and their families in a dignified manner, while fully respecting the environment and resources. The project’s demonstration farm represents a crucial opportunity for income and skills acquisition, with a focus on women’s involvement.
Through workshops on agricultural planning and planting techniques, SAP-R actively supports farmers in 6 local communities. Workshops are also organized on essential topics such as crop and environmental protection, plant rotation and propagation, harvest processing and storage, livestock breeding, marketing strategies and starting small businesses.
More than half of the participants in these workshops are women.
Starting in 2024, the new three-year programme aims to sustainably improve the food, nutritional, income and asset security of 810 families, operating in a balanced agro-ecological system. Specific actions are planned for some of these beneficiaries:
- 150 women receive training and support in small-scale horticultural production and irrigation.
- 60 farming families are supported with the distribution of animals (pigs and goats) and targeted training on integrated livestock keeping practices.
- Establishment of 20 viable business enterprises benefiting 200 women.
A focus on 360 children under the age of five who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition are periodically screened and supported with locally produced natural supplements. Particular attention is paid to proper nutrition, and a specific Nutrition Programme aimed at women and their children is in place to prevent and combat child malnutrition, through the improvement of nutritional practices and the optimisation of the use of agricultural and domestic resources.
SAP-R also uses local technology to disseminate information: regular radio talk shows disseminate knowledge on agricultural techniques, but also on good hygiene and nutrition practices to a wide audience.
Finally, SAP-R also includes support for the Saint Dominic Nursery School in Riimenze, which hosts more than 350 children taught by qualified teachers, many of whom have graduated from the Solidarity Teacher Training College.
MARK 4:3-4
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path...
radio talk-shows have been conducted to disseminate agricultural technical knowledge
of beneficiaries are women
malnourished children are monitored and supported
are benefitting from the project
