The initiative, launched in Juba by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, is expected to improve coordination between cooperatives and financial institutions and enhance service delivery

By Emmanuel Mandella and Aguok Chok

In a groundbreaking step toward modernizing the agriculture and cooperative sectors, the Government of South Sudan on Tuesday unveiled a national cooperative e-registry. The digital platform is designed to simplify, speed up, and bring transparency to the registration and management of cooperatives across the country.

The initiative, launched in Juba by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, is expected to improve coordination between cooperatives and financial institutions, enhance service delivery, and open doors for increased support to organized community groups—especially in rural and vulnerable areas.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Hussein Abdelbagi, hailed the innovation as a long-overdue solution to years of inefficient manual processes.

“This is more than just a digital tool. It is our gateway to organizing grassroots agricultural efforts, preserving accurate data, and empowering real cooperatives,” he said. “From now on, we will only work with well-organized groups. If you’re not united, there will be no support.”

By setting a clear standard for cooperative formation, the e-registry is set to weed out fraud, reduce duplication, and improve access to government and donor programs, including loans, grants, and training opportunities.

The platform also comes with a strong appeal to South Sudan’s youth. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Country Representative, Mr. Meshak Malo, called on young people to embrace agriculture as a tech-friendly and profitable venture.

“They tell me agriculture is not sexy,” Malo joked. “Well, now we’ve gone digital. We invite the youth to come on board, be part of the solution, and help us populate the e-registry across the country.”

He added that the digital platform will enable faster service delivery and ensure that remote cooperatives in states and administrative areas are equally included, promoting inclusive development.

Experts say the digital shift could be pivotal in strengthening food security. By identifying active cooperatives and supporting them with tools, training, and funding, the government and partners can better track production trends, target food distribution, and respond to crises more efficiently.

Stephen Almadi, Head of the Cooperative Department at Cooperative Bank of South Sudan, described the e-registry platform as a long-awaited tool that will foster transparency and financial inclusion.

“We’ve struggled without a central registry. Everyone had scattered data, leading to confusion and missed opportunities,” he said. “Now we can verify cooperatives, reduce fraud, and partner with the right people to drive development.”

The initiative is particularly significant for rural and vulnerable communities, where cooperatives serve as vital safety nets. From women-led farming groups to youth agro-entrepreneurs, the digital registry promises visibility and access to resources that were previously out of reach.

By empowering these communities with a verified status, the e-registry opens doors to financial services, marketing support, and government assistance, all of which can lead to better incomes, improved livelihoods, and greater national food production.

As South Sudan continues to recover from years of conflict and economic hardship, this digital leap is a beacon of hope. It represents not just technological advancement, but a commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and food-secure nation one cooperative at a time.

“We’ve struggled without a central registry. Everyone had scattered data, leading to confusion and missed opportunities,” Stephen Almadi, Head of the Cooperative Department at Cooperative Bank of South Sudan.