(JUBA COUNTY) – Germany, the Netherlands, and the European Union have launched an expanded phase of the Community Driven Rural Development project in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan, as part of a €48 million ($51.8 million) initiative to strengthen rural livelihoods under a collaborative Team Europe approach.
The project now aims to improve the livelihoods of 27,500 households across eight counties in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western, Central, and Eastern Equatoria States. It is implemented alongside the GRACE project and forms part of the EU’s broader Green and Resilient Economy programme.
With the additional funding, the project is expanding into Juba County, focusing on developing competitive, sustainable, and climate-resilient agricultural value chains. Activities include improving production, increasing access to services and markets, and empowering women and youth. The project also emphasises the sustainable management of natural resources to secure the foundation of rural economies and to introduce lessons into policy-making processes.
At the launch event, Central Equatoria State Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Forestry Lily Kapuki highlighted the importance of improving food and nutrition security for smallholder households.
Attendees included the State Minister of Cooperatives and Rural Development, director generals from state ministries, Payam administrators, head chiefs, and representatives from the German Embassy, the EU Delegation, and the Embassy of the Netherlands. Youth and women union representatives, private sector actors, and national and international organisations, including IFAD and the GRACE Project consortium (FAO/WFP/ITC), were also present.
Vittoria Longato, Food Security and Rural Development Manager at the EU Delegation, said the initiative reflects a joint European effort to support South Sudan in building a sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient economy. “This initiative has been jointly developed with the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in a Team Europe approach. Our shared goal is clear: to support the people of South Sudan in strengthening their rural economy,” she said.
The launch also marked the expansion of the Central Equatoria State Steering Committee for the EU Green Resilient Economy Action, which oversees both the CDRD and GRACE projects.
Implementation of the project is led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in cooperation with the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and other local and international partners. In South Sudan, GIZ operates on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.