As South Sudan wrestles with recurring conflict, hunger, and underdevelopment, one civil society leader believes the key to peace and progress may be found in the furrows of farmland, drawing a compelling comparison with China’s path to modernization.
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), invited for a learning visit to China, will study how the nation harnessed agriculture to transform from a country plagued by hunger and internal strife to a globally respected powerhouse.
“What inspired me to accept the invitation to China,” Yakani explained, “is the invaluable lesson embedded in China’s history, how sustainable food security became a pillar for national stability.”
He observed that China, once synonymous with famine and unrest, is now a symbol of food security and economic strength, thanks in large part to strategic agricultural investments.
“The violent China was known for serious hunger. Now, progressive China is known for being food secure,” he noted.
Yakani believes this is a critical message for South Sudan, where food insecurity has become a driver of violence. “From my view, hunger has made violence the easiest tool for survival across the country,” he said. “We must reverse this trend by focusing on agriculture as a pathway to peace and prosperity.”
He urged South Sudan’s leaders to recognize the potential of the country’s fertile land, emphasizing that genuine agricultural investment could stabilize communities and reduce reliance on conflict as a means of livelihood.
Highlighting a recent milestone, Yakani praised the government’s decision to adopt CEPO’s call for a National Agriculture Conference, an initiative championed by Vice President and Chair of Economic Cluster, Benjamin Bol Mel.
“This is a strategic national direction towards the reduction of violence and realization of political stability,” he said.
Yakani pointed to China’s history of agricultural reform and rebellion, which played a pivotal role in shaping its modernization. “South Sudan can learn from this history if we take our agricultural potential seriously and commit to real action,” he added.
To help ensure the success of the upcoming conference, CEPO plans to facilitate online engagement with Chinese agricultural experts, offering South Sudanese stakeholders a chance to gain insight from China’s transformation.
Yakani’s message is rooted in a simple but profound idea: modernization begins with cultivation. And for South Sudan, the seeds of peace and progress may very well lie in the soil beneath its feet.
