Image: WU bank members behind a FAO donated grain thresher on 17December 2024 (Photo by Majok Kok)

In the heart of Bor South County, South Sudan, the Diar ce kecin mat Community Seed Bank—popularly known as Women United (WU)—demonstrates how farmer-managed seed systems can simultaneously address urgent humanitarian needs, foster long-term development, and promote social stability.

Since its inception in 2019, WU has been an inspiring example of grassroots resilience, transforming a group of displaced women into a certified provider of high-quality seeds and valuable agricultural services. This is the first community seed bank case study of a series that is being compiled by the ISSD Africa Action Learning Theme 1 group to highlight the significance of farmer managed seed systems in fragile and conflict affected states.

‘WU Community Seed bank member keenly learning the ‘diversity wheel’ during training on organization of community seed banks organized  by Dr. John Garang University on 15th February 2025 in Bor, South Sudan.  
Credit: Dr. John Garang University staff.

Background and Context

The WU Community Seed Bank is located in Ayuel camp, Kapaat Boma of Bor South County, Jonglei State. The group was formed by women who fled conflict and flooding in the region, seeking refuge and livelihood opportunities in peri-urban Bor. Their vision was to organize farming and seed-saving, ensuring reliable access to quality planting materials—a core element of any functioning food system. The milestones of the evolution of Women United are:

  • 2019 -Formal establishment of the WU Community Seed Bank
  • 2020 -Training by the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the first sale of sorghum (30 bags) to a humanitarian agency.
  • 2021 -Official registration at the state level supported by ZOA DORCAS South Sudan (https://zoadorcas.com/) with funding by the European Union project SORUDEV

These milestones not only enhanced the group’s technical capacity but also legitimized it as a credible seed provider in Jonglei State.

Linking Humanitarian Relief, Development, and Peace

South Sudan’s volatile environment often demands short-term humanitarian interventions to address critical seed shortages. Yet, humanitarian responses alone rarely establish sustainable seed systems. WU’s model illustrates how seed banks can serve as a bridge between emergency seed aid and self-reliant local production.

  • Humanitarian Dimension: By conserving and producing quality sorghum seed, WU supports crisis-affected farmers who have lost seeds due to conflict or floods.
  • Development Aspect: Trainings on seed certification and quality control have positioned WU to supply seed on a commercial scale, moving away from dependence on external aid agencies, such as ZOA DORCAS South Sudan, NPA and FAO.
  • Peacebuilding Element: The collective process of seed conservation, production, management, and distribution fosters social cohesion among displaced and host communities. Shared agricultural goals reduce tensions and enable mutual cooperation (McGuire & Sperling, 2016).
  • Enhancing Social Cohesion: The direct participation of women in leadership and decision-making roles signals a shift towards more inclusive community governance. This inclusivity aligns with broader efforts to promote gender equity, a key factor in promoting long-term peace and stability.

Farmer-Managed Seed Systems in Action

From a total of 17 local sorghum accessions conserved, WU refined its seed production focus to three outstanding varieties—Akuorachot, Dhet, and Beer. These cultivars have proven resilient to drought, pests, and variable ecological conditions (Kok et al., 2017) The selection process—guided by farmer experiences, local knowledge, and basic agronomic evaluations—embodies the principles of farmer-led research and innovation (van Uffelen et al., 2024). Despite notable achievements, WU faces ongoing challenges to fully optimize seed production: 1) Consistency in variety selection and propagation remains an area for further training; 2) Traditional granaries are suitable for short-term grain storage but insufficient for long-term seed viability (Vernooy et al., 2020); 3) Although farmers have displayed ingenuity in participatory crop improvement, formal crossing and breeding programs could enhance genetic gains.

Socio-Economic Impacts

WU’s membership of 27 active participants (22 women, 3 men) underscores its inclusivity and highlights the pivotal role women play in building community resilience. While formal subscriptions are required, WU’s flexibility in membership ensures more individuals can join, particularly those from conflict-affected and resource-limited backgrounds. WU sells seed through three main channels—seed bank members, humanitarian agencies, and commercial buyers—at tiered prices. WU offers the rental of a mechanical thresher at $50 per day (Image 1), which not only generates income but significantly reduces labour-intensive tasks for local farmers. Together, these activities elevate household incomes and stimulate local economies, enabling farming families to reinvest in agricultural improvements and basic social services such as healthcare and education (Thijssen et al., 2022).

Challenges and the Policy Environment

WU faces some challenges, such as the absence of modern storage facilities which heightens vulnerability to post-harvest losses. Humanitarian demand for seed is irregular, which makes long-term production planning difficult. South Sudan’s nascent seed policy framework does not yet provide explicit legal provisions for community seed banks. As a result, WU cannot easily register with the Registrar of Cooperatives or secure bank credit for large-scale investments. Despite these challenges, the WU Community Seed Bank is an example of grassroots resilience in the face of conflict, climate shocks, and socioeconomic hurdles.

Conclusion

The following tables summarize key aspects of the WU case study and its relevance to ISSD Africa ALP-1:

Focus AreaWU Case Study InsightRelevance to ALP-1
Community Seed BanksServes humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding functions, fostering social cohesion.Aligns with research on community seed banks’ role in conservation, seed sharing, and social security.
Farmer-Led InnovationSelected resilient local sorghum varieties based on farmer knowledge and experience.Supports participatory crop improvement and crop diversification strategies.
Gender EquityWomen-led, with 22 out of 27 members, promoting inclusive governance and resilience.Informs ALP-1’s focus on inclusive seed systems and gender dynamics. (Brearly and Kramer, 2020)
Policy SupportFaces challenges due to lack of recognition and modern facilities, needing legal support.Feeds into policy initiatives for recognizing community seed banks and farmer varieties.
ScalabilityModel adaptable, with potential for replication in other crisis-affected regions.Supports ALP-1’s goal of scaling effective strategies across Africa.

How does the case support answering our learning questions?

ALP-1 Action Learning QuestionsHow WU Case Study Contributes
What are effective strategies for farmer-managed seed systems?Demonstrates community seed banks as effective, multi-functional institutions in crises.
Role of community seed banks in conservation and peacebuilding?Shows how WU fosters social cohesion and builds seed stocks, contributing to peace.
New policy initiatives for seed sector development?Highlights need for legal recognition and support, informing policy advocacy.

The WU Community Seed Bank case study validates and enriches ALP-1’s research and work. It offers concrete examples of how community seed banks can address the combined impacts of protracted crises and climate change, emphasizing farmer-led innovation, gender inclusivity, and the need for supportive policies. The model’s potential for replication and scaling up is particularly valuable for ALP-1’s efforts to strengthen farmer-managed seed systems across Africa in fragile and conflict-affected states.

References

Brearley, E. and Kramer, B. 2020. Gender and promoting quality seeds in Africa: A literature review. ISSD Africa Working Paper. https://issdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/gender-and-promotion-of-quality-seeds_litreview_issd-africa_-b.kramer-e.brearley_2020.pdf

Kok, M.A, Ouma, J.P., Ojwang, P.P.O. 2017. Effect of sowing date on grain quality of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in Bor, South Sudan. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 17(4): 12657-12677. https://www.ajfand.net/Volume17/No4/Kok16520.pdf

McGuire, S. J., Sperling, L. 2016. Seed Systems Smallholder Farmers Use. Food Security, 8(1), 179–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-015-0528-8 Thijssen, M., Mulkerrins, J., van Schagen, B., Ouko, W., Vernooy, R., Spielman, D., McEwan, M., Okori, P., Borman, G., Kramer, B. 2022. ISSD Africa Community of Practice; Annual progress report. 1 September 2021 – 1 September 2022. Wageningen

Authors

Majok Kok1, Ronnie Vernooy2, Arnab Gupta3

  1. Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology Bor, South Sudan
  2. Bioversity International, Wageningen, the Netherlands
  3. Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands