The project Community Driven Rural Development (CDRD) in South Sudan is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), aiming to improve the implementation of measures with regard to climate-resilient agricultural production, food security, income generation and sustainable management of natural resources by subnational state and non-state actors. The project follows a community-based approach and contributes to improving living conditions and prospects for people in rural areas, with a special focus on the needs of women and young people. It aims at fostering a productive, diversified, climate resilient and market oriented agricultural sector by supporting local farmer groups, cooperatives, and small and medium size enterprises.
The target group of the project is the rural population with a focus on agricultural households in selected communities in Yambio and Nzara in Western Equatoria State; Juba and Yei River County in Central Equatoria State; Magwi and Torit in Eastern Equatoria State; and Wau and Jur River in Western Bahr el Ghazal State. In addition, local, agro-based MSMEs with a focus on young entrepreneurs as well as women are supported. In total, the direct target group of CDRD comprises ca. 27.500 rural households, of which ca. 30 % are headed by women. 90 % of the households in the rural intervention regions live from (subsistence) agriculture and are heavily dependent on natural resources. Due to the dynamic security situation, access to beneficiaries may be limited at times.
The project's intermediaries are decision-makers and technical experts in subnational administrative authorities (Bomas, payam, county, state), as well as traditional authorities. Intermediaries also include farmers' (informal and formal) POs, including agricultural cooperatives, associations, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), Savings, Credit and Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs), private sector organizations, and civil society organizations (CSOs) of the target groups, which represent the interests of their members. Other intermediaries include agricultural and forestry/wildlife advisors from government and non-government service providers, educational institutions, and entrepreneurs of agriculturally based MSMEs who are trained to enhance their services in innovative agricultural approaches.
The project includes two Multi-Donor Actions which are co-funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN).