Smart Farming Raises Maize Yields in Yei

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – The Community Development Center (CDC), a South Sudanese non governmental organisation based in Yei, has praised the progress made by local farmers who recently completed training in climate smart and integrated farming methods.

Speaking to Access Radio on Thursday, the organisation’s Executive Director Sebit Martin said that farmers are now harvesting better yields during the second planting season, a development he believes will strengthen food security in the region.

He noted that demonstration sites set up by the organisation produced more than one metric ton of maize this season. The sites were not only for crop production but also served as open learning spaces where smallholder farmers could observe, practice and apply improved techniques such as agroecology, conservation agriculture and other sustainable approaches to farming.

According to Sebit, many surrounding farmers who were trained and supported by CDC have now adopted these methods, leading to an increase in production across the area.

Through its Food Security and Livelihoods programme, the organisation promotes farming systems that are regenerative, environmentally sustainable and designed to withstand the challenges of climate change. He explained that this work is not only helping households secure food supplies but also creating new opportunities for farmers to access local and regional markets.

Sebit further said that CDC’s model is different because it combines agriculture with peacebuilding, gender equality and the prevention of gender based violence. By linking farming with social development, the organisation hopes to build communities that are both food secure and peaceful.

He stressed that the goal is to help families move from subsistence farming to surplus production:

“With the right tools, knowledge and demonstration of best practices, families can move from vulnerability to prosperity”.

CDC Farming Initiative in Yei (September 2025)