29 May 2018, Torit, South Sudan - Mary Ijama, 21, is eight months pregnant and mother of a small girl. Her husband is in a refugee camp in Uganda, but Mary decided to return, saying there are better opportunities in Torit. Agropastoral field schools (APFS) provide a flexible and responsive platform for building the knowledge and skills of farmers and livestock keepers of all ages. Through a participatory approach, learners are encouraged to experiment and discuss practical solutions they can implement themselves to address the issues they face. Meeting regularly with the guidance of a facilitator, field school groups are an important forum for introducing international expertise to adapt to local contexts in order to improve livelihoods.
In South Sudan, with support from Denmark and Canada, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has established and strengthened 60 APFS in three states of Eastern Equatoria.
In Boma, Kapoeta and Torit States, nearly 1 800 people are participating in APFS (51 percent of which being women).