OCO Farm in Terekeka
Organic Cooking Oil Company (OCO)
Akari Sorghum milling capacity Building project
South Sudanese smallholder farmers in Kapuri of Central Equatoria State formed Akari Development Association (“ADA”) in 2010. ADA has a membership of 463 individuals, 260 of whom are women. ADA purchases sorghum grains from members, which it processes into sorghum flour and cleaned grains for sale in local markets. ADA would like to expand its sorghum flour processing capabilities, as there is additional strong demand for its product in local markets. ADA is constrained, however, by its use of traditional sorghum flour processing methods, as well as limited business management and financial capacities.
ADA’s Sorghum Milling Capacity Building Project is proposed to improve sorghum production by smallholder farmers with a view to strengthening their operational capabilities. The project is intended to provide necessary inputs such as milling equipment, packaging materials, technical training, and other extension services needed to strengthen operational capabilities of ADA with particular emphasis in value addition development.
The project is financially viable, socially rewarding, and economically sustainable. It is therefore recommended that USADF should provide funding and technical support for the proposed project. The project has high chances of expansion and also being replicated elsewhere in the country.
The proposed project is to be located in Kapuri Village. It is a food-producing project primarily involving in the production and packaging of sorghum flour. The production/packaging of sorghum flour has no negative impact on the environment. The packaging materials or equipment are not noisy. Through the improvement of productivity, most of the members of ADA and the target smallholder sorghum producers will achieve food self-sufficiency. This situation will greatly contribute to the stabilization of food availability in their rural areas, particularly for the improvement of food and nutrition security.
Gezira Fruit Juice Blending Capacity Building Project
Gezira Young People Agribusiness Trust was formed in 2012 by 135 South Sudanese youth who come from different ethnic backgrounds to engage in the business of fruit juice and smoothie blending. The primary goals of the organization are to create jobs to enable youth to become self-reliant, support food security in their community, and provide market linkages to fresh fruit farmers. GYPAT operates a juice shop in Juba and sources fresh fruit from farmers in surrounding rural areas. GYPAT has the opportunity to expand its juice business in Juba and thus increase farmer incomes as well but constrained by a lack of capacity in business and financial management, limited production capacity and inadequate funds to purchase relevant equipment and sufficient quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables for processing into juice and smoothies. GYPAT was awarded their grant of $99,729.00 by the USADF in 2018
Foundation for Youth Initiative would provide technical assistance on numerous topics including ADF Required Financial and Participatory M&E; Financial Management and Entrepreneurship; Governance and Management; Agronomy; Revolving Fund Management; Policies and Procedures Manual Development; Business Plan Development and Project Evaluation.
This project is expected to improve GYPAT’s prospects for sustained expansion as indicated by the development of a comprehensive five-year business plan that deems suitable for funding by a donor or other financial institutions. It is also expected to improve GYPAT’’s financial management, business management capacity, technical and operational capacity, marketing capacity, help increase farmers’ incomes, increased agricultural investments, and supporting young farmers- both members and non-members.
Koyle Peanut Paste Capacity Building Project
KEDA member cleaning the raw peanuts before processing in to paste
Koyle East Development Association (KEDA) was awarded $98,707.00 in 2017 by the USADF for its peanut paste capacity building project. The project funds will be used to improve the business and financial management of KEDA through a series of training and of a management team. The funds will also build its technical capacity by expanding and improving its peanut paste operations through training in sustainable agriculture and peanut production, quality control and food safety, and through its purchase of a paste-pressing machine to process the natural groundnut into a paste to supply to the market within Juba. The groups also have commercialized their product by obtaining packaging, labels, and approval from the Food Authority for commercial distribution in supermarkets- competing with imported products. The project is located in Koyle Community Center, Koyle East, Rejaf County- Central Equatoria.
Compass Sesame Cooking Oil Marketing Project
Farmer Members of the CMCS Group
Awarded their grant from the USADF in 2018. Compass Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (CMCS) is using the project funds will be used to improve the business and financial management of Compass and the farmer groups, increase the vegetable production of the farmer groups through training, purchase improved seeds, seedlings, and garden tools, installing drip irrigation and hiring an agricultural extension officer. The Compass group supports 80 farmers located in Gondokoro Island in Juba County and Terekeka County, Central Equatoria State. The group processes the raw materials into sesame cooking oil and sesame paste which they supply to multiple markets within Terekeka and expanded their sales market into the Capital City Juba.