The Financial Times highlights Farm Africa’s work to transform the lives of farmers in South Sudan

An article in the Financial Times explores the changing relationship between businesses and NGOs and how collaboration between sectors can help in overcoming the challenges posed by food insecurity.

The article highlights the work of Farm Africa and local farmers in South Sudan to transform cassava from a local subsistence crop into a cash crop by increasing production and standards and connecting farmers to a reliable market through South Sudan Beverages Ltd (SSBL), a subsidiary of the global company SABMiller in South Sudan.

Farm Africa is helping around 2,000 farmers to grow a bigger, higher quality cassava crop, as well as connecting them to SSBL. 

The project is expected to bring direct and significant long-term market opportunities for around 2,000 smallholder farmers by the end of 2013, who will see their combined net income increase by between US$600,000 and US$1m per year. With dependents, the project will benefit around 12,000 people. Adding in other supplier beneficiaries and employment effects (both in terms of direct employees, as well as across other agricultural labour, distribution, retail, transportation and other sectors), we estimate that up to 15,600 people could benefit.  

To read the article please go to the FT (registration free).