SSD: Caritas Switzerland, Strengthening Market Actors and Communities (SMAC) in Central and Eastern Equatoria


The  project, implemented by Caritas Switzerland, aims at unlocking the  potential of agriculture by facilitating market driven solutions to enhance productivity, and promote inclusive growth in Central and Eastern Equatoria States of South Sudan. It  targets food value chains (cereal, honey, horticulture) by strengthening producer capacities, promoting enabling policies and facilitating private sector engagement.  

Land/Region Thema Periode Budget
Südsudan
Landwirtschaft und Ernährungssicherheit
nothemedefined
Landwirtschaftliche Entwicklung
Ernährungssicherheit der Haushalte
15.11.2025 - 14.11.2029
CHF  4’000’000
Hintergrund Conflict, displacement and economic downturn have driven widespread food insecurity, leaving 10 million people in South Sudan according to HNRP  2026, reliant on humanitarian aid. According to the IPC report November 2025,  7.55 million people are projected to experience Crisis level (Phase 3) or  Emergency (Phase 4) levels of food insecurity in 2026. Addressing food insecurity in South Sudan with a sustainable approach requires investment in  strengthening food market systems, agriculture output, linking farmers to clients and markets and investing in building business skills for entrepreneurs.
Ziele To increase the productive capacity, productivity, income generation, and climate adaptation of 15,000 smallholder farmers and agribusinesses in Eastern  and Central Equatoria States, supported by strengthened market systems, active  private sector engagement, and enabling policy frameworks, thereby contributing to  greater food security and increased community resilience to economic and environmental shocks. 
Zielgruppen
  • Women and youth 
  • Small holder farmers 
  • Farmers association and cooperatives 
  • SMEs 
  • Host, Displaced populations (refugees, returnees, IDPs)  
Mittelfristige Wirkungen
  • Enhanced smallholder farmers technical capacity to improve production, productivity, quality and income through inclusive climate smart agribusinesses, for targeted agricultural value chains. 
  • Enhanced sustainable access to climate-adapted productive inputs for smallholder farmers (focus on Tools, equipment and seeds) through  strengthened market systems, supply chains, and an improved enabling  environment fostering  climate-resilient agribusiness development. 
  • Enhanced community resilience through strengthened local governance  systems, sustainable natural resource management and peaceful conflict resolution. 
Resultate

Erwartete Resultate:  

  • 15,000 smallholder farmers (including 40% women and 50% youth, and 10% from marginalized groups) adopt improved productive capacity. 
  • 145 agribusinesses, market actors and 100 farmer organizations are reached through various interventions. 
  • 30 private sector agribusinesses access new markets through supply chain improvement. 
  • 2’200 honey farmers reached to produce 40 metric tons of honey aggregated and sourced through improved supply chain networks established by honey processors. 
  • At least four policy reforms proposed, with at least two adopted in areas such as  trade, standards, or taxation at the national or state. 
  • 7,500 households are enabled to collectively manage their natural resources and to resolve resource-based conflicts peacefully. 
  • 2,100 families (10,500 people) benefiting from emergency prepositioned supplies  in case of an emergency crisis. 


Resultate von früheren Phasen:   The recently completed project by Caritas Switzerland-CACH (7F-1119.01) was successfully implemented with results showing household income among participants rose from 27% to 58%, driven by crop farming (86.7%),  cooperatives, VSLAs, business skills training, and greater access to start-up grants and interest-free loans (up from 1.8% to 11.5%). 


Verantwortliche Direktion/Bundesamt DEZA
Projektpartner Vertragspartner
Schweizerische Non-Profit-Organisation
  • Caritas Schweiz


Koordination mit anderen Projekten und Akteuren

The programme will build on and be synergistically aligned in coordination with:  

WFP, FAO, IOM, OCHA and UNHCR, as well as EU. Government line ministries  (National and State levels) such as Agriculture, Environment and Forestry,  Livestock as well as Trade and Industries.  

Budget Laufende Phase Schweizer Beitrag CHF    4’000’000 Bereits ausgegebenes Schweizer Budget CHF    999’900 Projekttotal seit Anfangsphase Schweizer Beitrag CHF   0 Budget inklusive Projektpartner CHF   8’000’000
Projektphasen Phase 1 15.11.2025 - 14.11.2029   (Laufende Phase)