Between 2011 and 2018, ASARECA invested US$ 2.5 million to catalyse agricultural transformation in South Sudan through key beneficiary projects. Through these projects 1.03 million beneficiaries were reached, 2,005 stakeholders were trained, and 226 ha of land were brought under improved TIMPs. The following are highlights of the projects undertaken:

Up scaling adoption of NERICA rice

ASARECA supported researchers from South Sudan and Uganda to enhance productivity, value addition, and competitiveness of smallholder NERICA rice production systems in the post conflict areas of Northern Uganda and South Sudan. In South Sudan, it was promoted in Morobo and Yei counties. The project established innovation platforms for upscaling NERICA innovations through a participatory approach. The multi-stakeholder platforms comprised members from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Cooperatives and Rural Development; Agricultural extension Department; Millers; NGOs; Farmers; Traders; Community leaders; Commissioners for Agriculture; Seed companies and Japan International Corporation Agency among others

The project established commercial supply and distribution systems in which farmers were contracted to produce the seeds. An analysis of both seed and grain production and supply chains was conducted and priority constraints identified and addressed. A total of 1,200 value chain actors were trained on production, processing and marketing of the new technologies. Demonstration sites were established in Yei and Morobo for training potential seed growers and rice farmers on best agronomic practices. On-station upland rice trials of twenty (20) varieties including NERICA 1, 4 and 10 alongside preferred local varieties showed that NERICA flowers much earlier and yields higher than the local varieties