Agriculture in Southern Sudan

In simple terms, Southern Sudan is a pre-emerging market. It is not yet an agriculture-based economy; it's more of what an economist would describe as a transitional environment: transitioning from a conflict-zone/relief-dependent environment to a trading/post-war/subsistence economy. The principal economic endeavors include importation/retail activities and servicing local government and bilateral donors' development projects. Not much more.

There exists almost every demand one would imagine in Southern Sudan. The most lucrative, and the one with the highest potential is agriculture. With surplus arable land, getting into the business of farming is becoming a issue to on-the-ground investors of a question of not if, but when and how big. Almost all of the food is imported form Uganda (!) at remarkable cost (taxes and transport). There is unlimited potential.

Farming and agricultural activities do exist in Southern Sudan, but they were hammered by the war and the subsequent flooding of the market by donors of their free grain, oils and relief aid. Most of the farming that does take place is subsistence. Food for work programs exist still, and donors are just now getting into the scale-back-the-free-food-and-let-the-industry-develop concept. This means opportunity.

DR&A has a great deal of experience in Southern Sudan's agricultural sector. We've worked in every state and have years of local/government interfacing under out belts. If you have questions about agricultural activities there, be sure to email us at the address to the right or at david ( at ) dra-ltd.com