August 02, 2021

Returnee farmers are South Sudan’s hope and future

topic:	Food Security
located:	South Sudan
editor:	Bob Koigi

Returnee farmers in South Sudan are offering a flickering ray of hope to the country’s agriculture sector and have become pivotal in tackling hunger following decades of conflict that have disrupted livelihoods and adversely affected the nation’s economy.

After over 2 million South Sudanese fled their homes and abandoned their farms due to years of intermittent civil war, which caused them to seek refuge in neighbouring countries including Kenya, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, a new wave of refugees are returning to their country to rebuild it. 

Those people deserve attention and support from regional governments and the international community. 

The more than 5,000 refugees are keen to tap into food production to feed their families and rekindle trade that once flourished, thanks to good climate, vast agricultural land and the availability of water.

This is commendable news, coming at a time when over six million people are food insecure in the country, with that figure projected to rise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A food secure South Sudan would be an incentive for more refugees to return home. There is, however, apprehension and fear among farmers due to pockets of violence that the country experiences.

As the country seeks to rebuild itself, its returnee farmers remain a crucial part of that journey. The government of South Sudan must step up its efforts to protect them, foster an enabling environment for them to feed the nation, invest in them, and allow them to trade and jumpstart the economy. 

A food secure South Sudan is key to addressing hunger, peace and security in the larger Horn of Africa.

Image: Brayden George. 

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