South Sudan, June 2025

Concept notes development: towards resource mobilization for NRDS

Concept note development

South Sudan is one of the newest countries to join the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD). Following its membership application and submission during the CARD 9th General Meeting (GM9) in Cote d’ivoire in 2023, the country established a National Rice Task Force (NRTF), which subsequently led to the formulation of its first National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS).

In February 2025, at the request of the Government of South Sudan for a review and update of the NRDS, the CARD Secretariat deployed the Technical Coordinator and the Senior Regional Advisor to Juba to support the NRTF in this process. The revised and updated NRDS was later presented to key stakeholders for validation.

Following the successful validation, it was agreed that a “Working Week” should be organized to develop implementation-oriented concept notes aligned with the strategic priorities of the NRDS. This concept notes formulation workshop was carried out in Nairobi, Kenya from 9th to 12th June 2025 due to the security challenges in Juba.

The event brought together nine participants representing key stakeholders from the public sector, farmer-based organizations, development partners, and academia.

By the end of the Working Week, three concept notes and one proposal had been successfully drafted. The team concluded the meeting by outlining a clear way forward, including post-workshop follow-up activities with specific timelines and responsibilities.

Field visit- Mwea irrigation scheme

To broaden the knowledge and practical understanding of participants, a study tour was organized by the JICA South Sudan Office in collaboration with the CARD Secretariat. On 13th June 2025, the team—accompanied by the CARD General Coordinator, the Technical Coordinator, the JICA South Sudan Office representative, and the Senior Regional Advisor—visited the Mwea Irrigation Scheme (MIS). The team was welcomed by the Scheme Manager who delivered a presentation explaining the structure and operations of the irrigation scheme. The team also visited the Mwea Multipurpose Cooperative Society Rice Mill. The Mill Manager welcomed the team and provided a detailed overview of the cooperative’s operations. The team also visited the Thiba Dam, located in Kirinyaga County and the Mwea Agricultural Research Centre, which hosts the office of the JICA-supported project titled “Rice-based Market-Oriented Agriculture Promotion Project (RiceMAPP).”

This visit offered the South Sudan delegation a comprehensive view of how coordinated efforts in infrastructure, research, and farmer support services can contribute to the development of a resilient and productive rice sector.

During the workshop in Nairobi