Improving food security, livelihoods and protection of agro-pastoral communities

Background

The main parties to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) finally formed the South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity (T-GONU) on 22nd February 2020, marking the start of a 36-month transitional period that will end with national elections. The formation of the T-GONU has raised hopes for the over 1.5 million and, 2.5 million South Sudanese Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees respectively, to return to their home of origin and start rebuilding their lives and livelihoods. In the country, some 7.3 million people are facing problems related to their physical and mental well-being as a result of impact of a variety of man-made and natural disasters.

South Sudan and its people continue to suffer from the impacts of years of conflict, violence, limited development investment, poor production, pests and diseases, climate induced disasters, poor macro-economic policies, dwindling oil revenues and market disruptions all of which have conspired to condemn a big portion of the population to a spiral of hunger and destitution. Though rich in natural resources, the country’s human development indices are among the worst in the world. Nearly half of all counties (78) have high needs related to food insecurity, protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education and health among others.

Several studies have shown that the needs are closely interrelated across sectors, e.g acute malnutrition is attributed to the persistent high food insecurity, poor quality and diversity of food, low water quality as well as high morbidity due to a weak health system.

Project

The project aims to improve food and nutrition security and income opportunities among targeted vulnerable populations. The following is an overview of our activities:

• We support households to adopt hybrid poultry production techniques to improve food and nutrition security and income opportunities.
• We provide refresher training for community animal health workers (CAHWs) and poultry health support workers, including veterinarians.
• We are improving livelihood protection by providing animal health services for 150,000 farm animals.
• We procure various veterinary medicines, supplies and equipment that support the cost-based delivery of animal health services.
• We improve livelihoods and income.
• We promote the psychosocial and mental health/wellbeing of children and their families/caregivers, protect their rights and enhance the capacity of community-based support mechanisms to respond to and deal with threats and promote peaceful coexistence.

The programme is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.

Which of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals does this project work towards?

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