By Philip Buda Ladu
In a move aimed at revolutionizing the agricultural sector, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), on Tuesday launched the Co-operatives E-Registry Platform in Juba.
This digital system is designed to streamline the registration, tracking, and support of agricultural co-operatives across South Sudan, fostering transparency, efficiency, and ultimately driving economic transformation.
Speaking at the launch, the national Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, hailed the e-registry as a “significant shift” from outdated manual processes to modern electronic methods.
He emphasized that the platform will be crucial in preserving information on co-operatives, providing an instant overview of their status, and improving communication between the central government and the various states and administrative areas.
Minister Akol also announced a new directive, stating that the ministry will prioritize supporting organized groups and co-operatives over individual farmers, encouraging collective action for greater impact.
“We should not encourage poor individuals this time. I am going to announce from today that if you do not gather and come as a group, we will have no time to support you. This will be our directive to the country, and we have to encourage the cooperatives and support them.” The minister said.
Meshak Malo, the FAO Country Representative in South Sudan, highlighted the platform’s potential to attract younger generations to agriculture by showcasing it as a viable and modern business venture.
He urged young people to engage with the e-registry and explore its capabilities.
“Now we are going digital and we really want to call on the young people to join us. Come and assist to see how this e-registry works and the capacity it gives,” he said.
Malo acknowledged that the rollout will be a “journey” requiring efforts to populate the system across all states and continuous improvement.
Stephen Almadi, Head of the Cooperative Department at the Co-operative Bank of South Sudan, underscored the critical role of a central registry for their operations.
He explained that the platform will simplify the verification process for potential cooperative partners, addressing current challenges caused by the lack of centralized data and improving coordination in the development of cooperatives.
“We have faced many challenges due to lack of a central registry. Each partner comes with their data, and this has a very big effect in terms of coordination. So, when you do not have central data to work with, what you are simply doing is getting a patch of data, and the information that is given to you is not comprehensive. So, we cannot walk the journey together in the development of our cooperatives,” Almadi explained.
The launch event was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, the FAO Country Representative, donors, and other key stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
The e-registry is expected to play a vital role in strengthening agricultural cooperatives, enhancing their contribution to food security and economic growth in South Sudan.