Rebuilding lives through resilient farming in flood-affected Rubkona County

For years, Rubkona County in Unity State has been among the areas hardest hit by flooding and conflict. Families lost their homes, livestock and farmland, and many were displaced to temporary shelters and protection sites.

Today, a sense of renewal is taking root - one seed, one harvest and one family at a time.

With support from the “Building Resilient Livelihoods to Climate Change” initiative, funded by the Government of the Kingdom of Norway and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), communities in Rubkona are reviving agriculture on land that was once submerged. The project helps host communities, internally displaced persons and returnees rebuild their livelihoods through climate-smart farming, improved food production and greater self-reliance.

In the Bentiu Protection of Civilians (PoC) site, 50-year-old Mary Nyakan Chok remembers the hardships she faced after being displaced by floods.

 “Life in the PoC was hard. The food rations were never enough. I had to rely on fishing and collecting water lilies just to feed my children,” she says.

When FAO began supporting farmers’ groups in the area, Mary joined the Yoi Nhial Farmers Group, receiving 1 kg of maize seed and training in climate-smart agriculture techniques, including the use of seed varieties better able to withstand drought, heat and floods. This training helps ensure that crops remain resilient in the face of changing weather patterns.

Earlier this year, her group planted and harvested their first maize crop. “Now I can harvest my own food. I feel proud and hopeful again,” Mary shares. For Mary, farming is more than a harvest - it is a return to dignity and independence.

Like Mary, Angelina Nyawetde’s journey reflects the challenges and resilience of returnees rebuilding from the ground up. A single mother of four and a former refugee who returned from Khartoum, farming has been Angelina’s way to start over. “When I came back, I didn’t know where to start. Everything was expensive, and I had no money,” she recalls.

Through FAO’s support, Angelina joined the Yoi Nhial Farmers Group. She received vegetable and maize seeds and began cultivating land that had long been underwater. “Now I have food for my children. I’m planning to expand my vegetable garden during the dry season if I receive more seeds,” she says.

What began as a struggle for survival has become a story of resilience, determination and hope for the future.

For Martha Nyachar Keh, a 30-year-old mother from the host community, the floods once meant hunger and uncertainty. “We used to depend on fishing and water lilies, but it was never enough,” she explains. After joining a local farmers’ group and receiving seeds and training from FAO, Martha began farming on reclaimed land.

“Thanks to FAO and its partners, our children now have food. I plan to harvest more this year, share with others in need and save seeds for the next season,” she says proudly.

Her story reflects a growing sense of unity among families who now work side by side, sharing tools, knowledge and encouragement.

Across Rubkona County, farmers like Mary, Angelina and Martha are demonstrating the power of resilience and community-led recovery. In total, FAO has supported two farmers’ groups and trained 50 beneficiaries in Rubkona County in climate-smart agricultural practices, helping them improve yields, restore livelihoods and adapt to the impacts of climate change. With continued support and training, they are not only strengthening food security but also restoring dignity, independence and hope after years of crisis.

The work in Rubkona County is part of the FAO Country Office in South Sudan’s broader resilience programme (2024–2027), which aims to help communities move from emergency support to sustainable, long-term recovery.

Through this programme, FAO focuses on saving lives and livelihoods, improving nutrition‑sensitive food production, diversifying income sources and promoting climate-smart agriculture and sustainable natural resource management.

By combining these efforts, FAO is helping families not only feed themselves today but also build stronger, more resilient communities capable of withstanding future shocks.

The programme supports South Sudan’s national priorities and the 2030 Agenda, ensuring that no one is left behind as the country transitions toward inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.