EU-SORUDEV: South Sudan Rural Development: Strengthening Smallholders’ Resilience in Greater Upper Nile After gaining independence in 2011, civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013 and to date more than
1.84 million have been internally displaced (OCHA; July 2018). The protracted conflict has disrupted
farming, caused livestock loss, as well as disrupted market functionality, human movements and efforts to
improve food security. These interdependent variables lead to a very low Resilience Capacity Index (RCI)
of the people and chronic food insecurity. In February 2018, it was estimated that over 7.1 million (63% of
population) were at the brink of facing acute food insecurity by June 2018 (UN IPC SS February 2018).
The worsening food insecurity situation has led to the poor health of the people, reduced ability to provide
labor for agricultural activities and increased competition over access to resources.
South Sudan is characterized by a subsistence economy with over 81% of the population living in rural
areas practicing agro-pastoralism to meet food and basic needs (FAO Resilience Strategy 2016–2018).
Although the agricultural sector accounts for approximately 35% of non-oil GDP, agricultural production
remain precarious due to factors ranging from low productivity, insecurity and climatic shocks. Given that
nearly 90% of agriculture is rain-fed and subsistence-based, it is also highly vulnerable to climatic shocks.
This exposure to risks, compounded by inaccessible or high cost of farm inputs, poor agricultural
production skills and extension services and shocks such as Fall Army Warm Infestation (FAW), among
others, contributes heavily to rural poverty. Farmers lack the ability to break away from the endemic
poverty trap with at least 80% of the population living on an equivalent of less than US$1 per day7.
In a bid to build household capacity to produce food and set a foundation for recovery and growth, the
IRC and consortium partners (Cordaid and ZOA) have been implementing the Pro-Resilience Action
(PROACT) in the Greater Upper Nile (GUN) region, which has contributed to addressing food, nutrition
and social security gaps. This project, prepared in response to the EUTF’s SORUDEV guidelines has
been informed by the PROACT end line evaluations, experiences, lessons and community feedback, with
a view to complementing and building on PROACT achievements. SORUDEV will thus adopt a
multifaceted program seeking to strengthen communities’ ability to produce sufficient and quality food for
consumption and the market, improve access to agribusiness inputs and services, support increased jobs
and income opportunities, and build community resilience capacities for sustainability. The overall objective that the proposed action aims to contribute to is as follows:
"To improve the food security and disaster resilience of vulnerable population groups in the conflict affected Upper Nile State (3 counties) of South Sudan" 
whereas the Specific Objective is defined as: 
"To enhance the capacities of 9 disaster-prone communities to sustainably produce, utilise and/or access nutritious food in Fashoda, Panyikang and Malakal counties of Upper Nile State" The key beneficiaries for this project include the following categories of members of communities from Makal, Fashoda, and Manyo Counties. These are crop farmers, livestock keepers (Agro-pastoralists); Fisheries, and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA). The support to these beneficiaries shall be enhanced by the formation, training, and support provided to the Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Committee (CMDRR).