South Sudan Youth Enterprise Development and Capacity Building (YEDCB) Project

Adaptation Need

South Sudan faces compounding development challenges marked by extreme poverty, unemployment, and climate vulnerability. The poverty rate increased from 66% in 2015 to 82% in 2021, affecting over 7 million people. Climate shocks, including record flooding in 2021, are becoming more frequent and threaten livelihoods, particularly in agriculture and informal sectors. Combined with the impacts of COVID-19, insecurity, and ongoing economic instability, the country also faces high unemployment and underemployment, estimated at over 18.8% in 2020. These challenges underscore the urgent need to build climate-resilient livelihood opportunities, particularly for youth, who represent a large portion of the population.

GCA’s Added Value

GCA, in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers, conducted a labor market assessment to identify entrepreneurship and job opportunities in climate adaptation and resilience across priority sectors in South Sudan, including agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, manufacturing, and waste management. The study highlights specific adaptation-driven value chains and emerging markets where youth-led enterprises can thrive and contribute to both economic recovery and climate resilience.