15 January 2013, Rome - A new programme in the Republic of South
Sudan is helping vulnerable farmers to improve their livelihoods
by boosting the quality of the seeds used to produce key crops.
With the support of the Government of France, FAO is joining
efforts with the South Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture to
implement the year-long programme in several states. The
project, valued at more than $612 000 (EUR 500 000), will help
to train farmers in the production, storage and marketing of
quality seeds and cuttings for staple crops like sorghum, maize,
cassava and cowpeas. It will also increase the availability of
seeds to South Sudan's most vulnerable farmers. Decades of
conflict and displacement have taken their toll on farmers'
access to quality seeds and other planting materials, and eroded
their knowledge of seed production techniques. Together, these
factors have severely undermined crop productivity and farmers'
livelihoods. "The importance of seeds to the food security and
livelihoods of South Sudan'