What We Do
Food Security and improved nutrition (FSN),
and promote sustainable agriculture
The resilience of communities in South Sudan has declined and continued to be eroded since the eruption of conflict in late 2013. Compounded by repeated outbreaks of violent conflict, the deterioration of the food security situation and subsequent economic shocks have negatively affected households’ coping capacities and livelihoods.
Communities dependent on agriculture have seen their productive assets depleted, looted and destroyed, limiting their ability to recover and increasing their reliance on external aid. Two thirds of the population cannot access the food needed to cover their daily needs. This creates an opportunity for ACFO to engage in agricultural production and increase Food Security and nutrition (FSN) in the country to fight hunger. ACFO Resilience Strategy 2030, gives a guide for a multi-track approach to strengthening capacities depending on needs, vulnerability and access. ACFO’s Program Framework sets out priority areas to guide and support communities to bringing together the best local innovations and standard ecological practices for the agricultural nutrition transition in the country.
Therefore, to ensure sustainable increase in food production, ACFO have so far secured a large piece of Land 5 miles square in Maridi county (Western Equatoria State) for a sustainable increase in production and productivity of food crops along the value chain through institutional capacity building that will enable the producers to access suitable inputs and equipment, for corporative unions to sale crops to at a cheaper price and train them with knowledge and skills of crop production, post-harvest management and marketing. Emphasis is always placed on key Community Partnership (CP) and prioritize women and youth in the interventions.
ACFO also engages in the selection of commodities for enterprises and income generation which can increase average per capital agriculture-based income. We work with the relevant authorities and communities to support market development for selected commodities in the subsectors using the value chain development approach.
Increase resilience for livelihoods to fight hunger crisis
South Sudan is characterized by multiple crises and threats that include conflict and instability, natural hazards (such as droughts and floods), plant pests and animal disease. These can occur as a single event.
ACFO together with communities have developed complex resilience strategies and models to managing seasonal changes in food access. These includes; building food stores in all the states, supply and store food commodities to the market to cover administrative cost, stores food safely keep for emergencies. Also engages in the selection of commodities for enterprises and income generation, which can increase average per capital agriculture-based income. We work with the relevant authorities and communities to support market development for selected commodities in the subsectors using the value chain development approach.
ACFO also works with corporative Societies/unions to sale crops at a cheaper price and train them with knowledge and skills of crop production, post-harvest management and marketing. Emphasis is always placed on key Community Partnership and prioritize women and youth in the interventions.
SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL FEEDING
“Hungry children cannot go to school and learn”
Health and nutrition have significant impact on the overall educational achievements of school-age children. Ensuring that children are well fed, healthy and able to learn is essential to the effectiveness of education system. The main goal of the School Meals programme is to support the Government’s effort towards attainment of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and South Sudan Education for All (SSEFA) by provide subsidized nutritious meals to school children to improve nutrition. It is a significant strategy for reaching marginalized communities and families across the states of South Sudan to help increase enrolment, prevent dropout, end classroom hunger and stabilize attendance and performance at pre-primary and primary school.
ACFO will ensure Regular School Meals Programme (SMP). The Regular program involves the physical distribution of food commodities to schools; the bulk of the food is mainly from agricultural produces and other food supplement procure locally together with support of World Food Programme (WFP).
WATER AND SANITATION PROGRAM FOR ALL (WASH)
ACFO ensures that children have enough conducive environment, which is safe, clean and free of sharp objects. We ensure access to safe clean water, safe sanitation and promote good hygiene practices to avoid health threatening issues. These involves construction of pit-latrines, hand wash facility and provision of dustbins, drilling of boreholes, communication sensitization and eradication of the dangers of living in dirty places, keeping personal hygiene in their families.
