CES
(JUBA COUNTY) — The Central Equatoria State government has unveiled a plan to open at least 100 feddans of government-backed cooperative farms in each county, as part of efforts to revive agriculture and reduce South Sudan’s reliance on imported food.
The initiative was presented by the Minister of Cooperatives and Rural Development, Emmanuel Khamis Richard, during a briefing to Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony on Thursday, where he outlined his ministry’s priorities for the first 100 days in office.
Khamis said the plan to establish cooperative farms across all counties aims to expand food production, create jobs and strengthen rural livelihoods.
He noted that the farms will operate under revived cooperative societies, which the ministry also plans to assess and reorganise.
The proposal comes amid declining agricultural productivity in Central Equatoria, once considered one of South Sudan’s most fertile regions. Years of insecurity, displacement and farmer-herder conflicts have disrupted cultivation cycles, forcing many farmers to abandon their land.
As a result, markets in Juba and other urban centres rely heavily on food imports from neighbouring countries such as Uganda and Kenya. This dependence has driven up prices and exposed consumers to supply shocks.
Analysts say reliance on imports has left South Sudan vulnerable to regional trade disruptions and currency fluctuations, worsening food insecurity in a country where the majority depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Responding to the plan, Governor Adil welcomed the initiative, saying revitalising cooperative societies would help restore self-reliance and stimulate economic growth.
He added that strengthening cooperatives would empower communities, boost agricultural production and contribute to broader socio-economic development, while pledging government support for implementation.
Beyond farm expansion, the ministry’s 100-day plan includes rehabilitating its headquarters, establishing an Institute of Cooperative and Rural Development, and mobilising development partners to support cooperative financing and microfinance initiatives.
The state government hopes that scaling up farming through cooperatives will help reverse declining yields, stabilise food supplies and gradually reduce the country’s import bill.
However, experts caution that sustained security and improved rural infrastructure will be critical to the success of the initiative.
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