South Sudan Agricultural value chain – challenges and opportunities Summer 2020 Table of content Table of Contents 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .........................................................................................................................1 1.2 Research objectives .............................................................................................................2 1.3 Methodology: a value chain approach .................................................................................2 1.3.1 Research design ....................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3.2 The value chain approach ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.3.3 Value chain selection ............................................................................................................................... 5 2 Structural challenges of the South Sudanese Agriculture. ................................................ 6 2.1 Note on the impact of COVID-19 on South Sudanese agriculture...........................................6 2.2 Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................7 2.2.1 Roads, electricity and ITC ......................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Water and irrigation infrastructure ......................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Production challenges .........................................................................................................9 2.3.1 Input supply: shortage and inconsistent quality of seeds ....................................................................... 9 2.3.2 Pest management .................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3.3 Skills and know-how .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.3.4 Lack of financing and entrepreneurship ................................................................................................ 11 2.3.5 Dependence on donor funded projects ................................................................................................. 13 2.3.6 Unclear land laws ................................................................................................................................... 13 2.3.7 Conflict violence and displacement ....................................................................................................... 14 2.4 Downstream value chain challenges .................................................................................. 14 2.4.1 Lack of post-harvest and processing facilities ....................................................................................... 14 2.4.2 Regional markets ................................................................................................................................... 15 2.4.3 Disturbed access to market ................................................................................................................... 17 2.4.4 Asymmetric market information ........................................................................................................... 18 2.5 The government’s actions .................................................................................................. 18 2.6 South Sudan’s cooperative movement ............................................................................... 21 3 Gender dynamics in South Sudanese agriculture ........................................................... 23 3.1 Customary Laws ................................................................................................................ 23 3.2 Improvements in gender equality ...................................................................................... 24 3.3 Gender division in agriculture ............................................................................................ 25 4 Cereals value chains...................................................................................................... 27 i 4.1 Note on South Sudan’s cereal production .......................................................................... 27 4.2 The sorghum Value chain .................................................................................................. 28 4.2.1 Sorghum: production and upstream activities ...................................................................................... 28 4.2.2 Sorghum: markets and downstream activities ...................................................................................... 30 4.2.3 Sorghum: challenges .............................................................................................................................. 30 4.2.4 Sorghum: opportunities ......................................................................................................................... 31 4.3 The maize value chain ....................................................................................................... 33 4.3.1 Maize: production and upstream activities ........................................................................................... 33 4.3.2 Maize: markets and downstream activities ........................................................................................... 34 4.3.3 Maize: challenges .................................................................................................................................. 35 4.3.4 Maize opportunities ............................................................................................................................... 36 5 Industrial crops value chains ......................................................................................... 38 5.1 Sesame value chain ........................................................................................................... 38 5.1.1 Sesame: production and upstream activities ........................................................................................ 38 5.1.2 Sesame: markets and downstream activities ........................................................................................ 39 5.1.3 Sesame: challenges ................................................................................................................................ 40 5.1.4 Sesame: opportunities ........................................................................................................................... 41 5.2 The Groundnuts value chain .............................................................................................. 41 5.2.1 Groundnuts: production and upstream activities.................................................................................. 41 5.2.2 Groundnuts: markets and downstream activities ................................................................................. 42 5.2.3 Groundnuts: challenges ......................................................................................................................... 42 5.2.4 Groundnuts: opportunities .................................................................................................................... 43 6 Horticulture Value chains .............................................................................................. 44 6.1 Horticulture: production and upstream activities ............................................................... 44 6.1.1 Horticulture: markets and downstream activities ................................................................................. 45 6.1.2 Horticulture: challenges ......................................................................................................................... 46 6.1.3 Horticulture: opportunities .................................................................................................................... 46 7 Livestock value chains ................................................................................................... 48 7.1 The cattle value chain ........................................................................................................ 48 7.1.1 Cattle rearing and markets .................................................................................................................... 48 7.1.2 Cattle: challenges ................................................................................................................................... 49 7.1.3 Cattle: opportunities .............................................................................................................................. 50 7.2 The poultry value chain ..................................................................................................... 51 7.2.1 Poultry: productions and upstream activities ........................................................................................ 51 7.2.2 Poultry: market and downstream activities........................................................................................... 52 7.2.3 Poultry: challenges ................................................................................................................................