Between 2 and 17 January 2024, following a request by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoA&F), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in close cooperation with the Food Security Technical Secretariat (FSTS) and the State Ministries of Agriculture, carried out its annual Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) to estimate the 2023 crop production and assess the food supply situation throughout the 18 states of the country. The report's recommendations are to provide immediate response to the needs of the population most affected by acute food insecurity as well as to support the recovery of the agriculture sector, increasing food production and farmers’ incomes, and enhancing efficiency along the value chain to reduce production costs.

The annual FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) was conducted from 3 to 14 December 2023 to estimate the annual cereal production during 2023 and assess the overall food security situation in the country. [Author] The CFSAM reviewed the findings of 36 crop assessment missions conducted at planting and harvesting time between June and November 2023 in different agroecological zones of the country. [Author] Using standard CFSAM procedures, the Task Force teams reviewed secondary sources of information regarding the main factors that affected crop performance during the 2023 agricultural season, estimated the aggregate national cereal production and assessed the overall food security situation. [Author] Where access in some areas was too dangerous due to high levels of insecurity, telephone interviews with key informants were carried out to obtain information about crop performance. [Author] After the signature of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan in September 2018, there has been a significant number of returns of displaced farming households, which contributed to the production increases. [Author] Therefore, the cessation of all hostilities and the implementation of the agreement is the primary recommendation to ensure and sustain progress in terms of agricultural activities to improve the country’s food security situation. [Author] While recognizing the complexity of the reconciliation and peace‑building process, the following recommendations are made on the basis that the national peace deal continues to hold, for a better future of the people of South Sudan. [Author]

Between 11 and 31 December 2022, following a request by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF), the Food Security Technical Secretariat (FSTS), assisted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fishery (MoARF), the Strategic Reserve Corporation (SRCo), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), carried out its annual Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) to determine the 2022 crop production and the food supply situation throughout the 18 states of the country. Field visits were designed to collect data and information from state ministries and irrigation schemes and to audit it through transects, field observations and interviews with farmers and independent key informants. The aim of the recommendations is to strengthen domestic production, to improve food security and to enhance market functioning in the country.

The annual FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) was conducted from 1 to 16 December 2022 to estimate the cereal production in South Sudan during 2022 and assess the overall food security situation in the country. The CFSAM reviewed the findings of several crop assessment missions conducted at planting and harvest time from June to November 2022 in different agroecological zones of the country. All missions were carried out by a crop assessment Task Force Team comprising staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MoAFS), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the respective State Ministry of Agriculture (SMoA). Task Force Team members were trained to conduct rapid assessments using established CFSAM instruments, protocols and techniques, including walking transects, scoring standing crops and livestock body conditions according to the Pictorial Evaluation Tool (PET),ii crop cuttings to assess yields, performing key informant interviews and farmer case studies. After the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan in September 2018, there has been a significant number of returns of displaced farming households, which contributed to the production increases. Therefore, the cessation of all hostilities and the implementation of the agreement is the primary recommendation to progress in terms of agricultural development in order to improve the country’s food security situation. While understanding the complexity of the reconciliation and peace-building process, the recommendations are made assuming that the national peace deal continues to hold, for a better future for the people of South Sudan.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2023 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

Understanding the distribution of different land cover classes, as revealed by the updated Land Cover Atlas, holds paramount importance and is an innovative approach in helping to understand land cover dynamics. It enables decision-makers to harness this knowledge for strategic planning and informed decision-making in sectors such as agriculture, conservation, water resource management, and land degradation prevention. By recognizing the distribution and dynamics of land cover, stakeholders can work towards sustainable development goals, ecological resilience, and improved livelihoods in South Sudan. The development and utilization of the Land Cover Atlas highlight the significance of innovation, collaboration, and partnerships in decision-making processes and land cover management. By fostering collaborative efforts between organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Government of South Sudan, and supportive donors, a comprehensive understanding of land dynamics can be achieved. This collaborative approach enables stakeholders to work together towards effective resource management, resilience-building, and sustainable development, benefiting the people and environment of South Sudan.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warn that acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate further in 18 hunger hotspots during the outlook period from June to November 2023. For the outlook period, FAO and WFP are issuing an early warning for urgent humanitarian action in 18 hunger hotspots, including 2 regional clusters and comprising a total of 22 countries.In the hunger hotspots, parts of the population will likely face a significant deterioration of already high levels of acute food insecurity, putting lives and livelihoods at risk. Targeted humanitarian action is urgently needed to save lives and livelihoods in all 18 hunger hotspots. In eight of these – Afghanistan, Haiti, Nigeria, the Sahel region (Burkina Faso and Mali), Somalia, South Sudan, the Sudan and Yemen – humanitarian action is critical to prevent starvation and death.

This open access book is a compilation of protocols developed through a Coordinated Research Project of the Joint FAO/IAEA Center of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, specifically focused on mutation breeding for resistance to Striga. The book consists of three sections; (i) a general introduction on Striga biology and impact and mutagenesis in cereal crops; (ii) protocol chapters focusing on field, screenhouse and laboratory screening and diagnostic for resistance to Striga asiatica and S. hermonthica in sorghum, upland rice and maize, and; (iii) efficiency enhancing technologies such as rapid crop cycling, doubled haploid production and genomics for mutation discovery and marker development. These chapters were written by well recognized experts in Striga biology and physiology, and cereal breeders. The book is intended to serve as a unique reference and guide for plant breeders and geneticists engaged in breeding for resistance to Striga in cereals.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.