AfDB provides South Sudan with food security funding

JUBA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Monday received 7.12 million U.S. dollars in grants from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help the country enhance food security.

The first grant that covers food and nutrition security resilience is worth 5.84 million dollars, and the second grant of 1.28 million dollars will support training and provide seed financing to help build entrepreneurship capacity of refugees and host communities.

"The first grant is meant to help enhance resilience and response to climate shocks in South Sudan, as it will contribute to improving our ability to manage climate risks and disasters. The project will enhance climate services, infrastructure and also provide climate risk finance and insurance," he said during the signing ceremony held in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The funding, under the Africa Disaster Risk Financing Program, will also support refugees and host communities in the country's northern state of Upper Nile to set up small businesses, said Dier Tong Ngor, minister of finance and planning.

Meschack Malo, country representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization in South Sudan, said it will enable South Sudan to pilot an insurance scheme for its farmers.

South Sudan currently hosts more than 310,000 refugees and over 90,000 people who have recently fled conflict in neighboring Sudan since April 15.

Themba Bhebhe, country manager of the AfDB in South Sudan, said the projects will support the government of South Sudan towards achieving its national development goal.

"These investments will result in enhanced production of climate services for agriculture, livestock, climate insurance and early warning, and enhanced sustainable protection against climate shocks in South Sudan," Bhebhe said.