expanding agriculture and food security activities in ... - part - usaid

Component. 1: Increase Agricultural Productivity in Selected Commodities
Both men and women producers will have adopted numerous technologies such as improved post harvest
practices to reduce losses, agronomic practices that increase productivity and production, use of improved
varieties, improved seed selection from own seed, upgraded livestock quality, use of animal health
services and improved herd/flock management, nutrition and breeding practices, soil fertility
management, pasture/grazing area management to maintain quality fodder.
Due to increased demand from producers for services such as input supplies, animal health products, there
will be an increase in the number of private service providers. These service providers will be enabled to
provide a certain level of information about use of their products, thus supplementing public services.
Public service providers will have increased knowledge of available technologies and produce extension
materials that can be easily accessed and used by producers. The public sector will test Sudanese
landraces and improved varieties from the region for efficacy and appropriateness for destination in
certain agro ecological zones. This information will be made widely available to public and private users
(farmers, seed enterprises, NGOs). Radio programs are sponsored by public sector and have content that
is directly relevant and timed to be easily accessed by producers, especially women. Farmer exchanges,
Agricultural Fairs, Demonstration Farms, farmer field days, farmer field schools will be some of the
mechanisms used to expose producers to new ideas and technologies. Public services do not crowd out or
replace private sector services. There will be increased numbers of public-private partnerships that benefit
actors all along the value chain.
Producer organizations will have active members, and will have women in many of the management
positions. The POs will be able to articulate their objectives as a group. Members will have skills that
enable them to develop income statements, determine their costs of farming and will be able to use market
intelligence to make decisions on marketing their produce. The group will have competence to bulk
individual member orders and produce to take advantage of economies of scale. Producer organizations
will be able to negotiate contracts for purchases and sales. They will be able to set up savings and loan
systems within the group, and eventually access finance from financial institutions.
Component. 2: Increase Trade in Selected Commodities in Target Areas
By more efficiently producing a surplus, men and women producers will be competitive in Sudanese
markets, and there will be increased quantities in markets, initially in those that are most accessible. In
the longer term, Sudanese agricultural products will be competitive in regional markets.
Because producers are organized into business-based associations, PO members will have access to a
wider array of market services such as transport, processing, grading and drying. The producer
organizations will be able to negotiate for services based on bulking up members’ produce and
guaranteeing quality and quantity. As a group, it is expected that they can access storage services either
owned by the group or contracted with a private entrepreneur.
Critical points, such as drainage problems, eroded areas or bridges along priority feeder roads will be
repaired to facilitate trade. Public sector and communities will undertake maintenance systems so that
feeder roads remain passable.
There will be increasing numbers of SMEs providing a wide range of services that support (directly or
indirectly) the agricultural sector, including trade, transport, storage, processing (milling, new product
development, packaging, drying, butchery, animal health services and health products, animal feeds,
tractor services, mechanics, implement manufacture, etc). Financial institutions will develop products
such as equipment leasing, trade finance that will inject new capital into the agricultural sector.
EXPANDING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHERN SUDAN 28