Leadership and approach

The African Development Bank Group finances CRAFT-1 alongside a government counterpart contribution. MAFS is the executing agency and provides leadership and oversight. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) supports implementation with specialist partners ICRISAT, NARO and RUFORUM. Farmers, fisherfolk, producer organisations, processors and traders participate, with particular attention to women and young people.

Project development objective

CRAFT-1’s development objective is to increase agricultural production and productivity, create jobs, and build resilience for the people of South Sudan. To do this, it aims to expand climate-adaptive technologies and production systems, develop women- and youth-led businesses in priority value chains, promote digital agriculture and climate advisory services, and strengthen technical and entrepreneurship skills that support employment and enterprise development.

Geographic coverage: Where the project works

The project’s production and value chain activities cover nine counties in four states and link support to local agricultural and fisheries opportunities.

Women and young people are central to the project’s approach, alongside producer organisations, processors, traders and other service providers that connect production with markets.

What CRAFT-1 seeks to change

The project promotes climate-adaptive farming and fisheries, women- and youth-led enterprises, digital agriculture and climate advisories, and technical and entrepreneurship skills. Better seeds and practices should raise yields. Roads, storage and processing should reduce losses and connect products to markets. Stronger organisations and business services should turn these gains into incomes and employment.

What the project will deliver

CRAFT-1 combines improved seed, demonstrations and extension with rehabilitation of the Aweil Rice Scheme, rural roads, grain storage and fisheries facilities. It also supports producer organisations, aggregation and processing, business skills, digital finance, climate advice and agricultural training. Together, these investments aim to raise output, reduce losses and improve market access and incomes.

Vital project figures

Planned investments

CRAFT-1 will strengthen seed systems for rice and sorghum, establish demonstrations and extension support, and rehabilitate and expand the Aweil Rice Scheme. Planned infrastructure includes 51.5 kilometres of roads, community grain storage, and fisheries landing, handling and processing facilities. These investments support production, reduce losses, and improve market access.

The design provides for 200 producer organisations and microenterprises and eight Aggregation Business Centres. Training, savings groups, finance and private-buyer links aim to help women and young people build viable businesses and improve collective sales. These figures relate to enterprise support and market access.

Input vouchers, digital financial services, electronic extension and climate advisories will be delivered through channels such as mobile messaging and radio. In parallel, university facilities, research, technical training and entrepreneurship support will strengthen the workforce and institutions serving agriculture and fisheries. These elements connect digital delivery with skills and institutional support.

Reported implementation progress

Seed and farmer support. ICRISAT produced four metric tonnes of sorghum foundation seed in Kenya, and NARO produced 600 kilograms of certified WITA-9 rice seed for use in South Sudan. The FAO update reports that 481 farmers received 12.15 tonnes of sorghum seed, and 743 farmers received 62.41 tonnes of rice seed through vouchers. These support figures are shown separately because the stated aggregate in the update differs from their sum.

The same update reports 30 demonstration sites, training for 27 crop extension staff and 16 fisheries workers, and WhatsApp and SMS extension messages reaching 18,442 farmers. RUFORUM-supported refresher courses also reached 115 extension officers and lead farmers. These figures are linked directly to advisory delivery and training activities.

Enterprise and infrastructure preparation. Across the four states, 101 potential producer groups were identified, alongside 712 women- and youth-led rice and sorghum businesses and 177 women-led fisheries businesses. These are identified groups and enterprises, not a claim that all have received finance. A feasibility-study contract was awarded for the Aweil Rice Scheme; road environmental assessments, the Gok landing-site design and seven grain-storage designs also advanced.

MAFS established the Project Management Unit, with a project manager, financial management officer and monitoring and evaluation officer in place from January 2026, supported by seconded technical personnel.

Expected lasting results

The intended result is greater food and nutrition security, higher incomes and more resilient livelihoods. This depends on producers adopting suitable practices, functioning markets and services, maintained infrastructure, and responsible use of land, water and fisheries resources. With community participation and accountable management, the benefits can then be sustained beyond project support.

Milestone Status

CRAFT-1 has begun strengthening seed supply and farmer support across its rice and sorghum value chains. ICRISAT produced four metric tonnes of sorghum foundation seed, while NARO produced 600 kilograms of certified WITA-9 rice seed for subsequent use in South Sudan. Through the voucher system, 481 farmers received 12.15 tonnes of sorghum seed and 743 farmers received 62.41 tonnes of rice seed. The project also established 30 demonstration sites, trained 27 crop extension staff and 16 fisheries workers, and reached 18,442 farmers with advisory messages via WhatsApp and SMS.

Enterprise development and infrastructure preparation are also under way. The project identified 101 potential producer groups, 712 women- and youth-led businesses in rice and sorghum, and 177 women-led fisheries businesses for further assessment and support. A feasibility-study contract has been awarded for the Aweil Rice Scheme; environmental assessments for planned roads, the Gok landing-site design and designs for seven grain-storage facilities have advanced. MAFS has established the Project Management Unit to coordinate implementation and monitor progress. These milestones reflect preparation and design, not completed construction.

CRAFT-1 milestone status and key achievements