BACKGROUND

South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, faces profound challenges including ongoing conflict, fragile institutions, food insecurity, and climate variability. Nevertheless, local innovation is emerging despite these challenges: youth and entrepreneurs (including women-led startups) are developing projects in agriculture, renewable energy, and digital services. International and local partners (e.g., FAO, IFAD, NGOs) are piloting new solutions and establishing incubation centres. However, these efforts remain fragmented: the overall social innovation ecosystem is underdeveloped, uncoordinated, and poorly connected to humanitarian stakeholders.

RISE South Sudan has already taken the initiative to federate a group of local Civil Society Organizations around a three-pronged agenda focused on:

• redefining the way humanitarian action is conceptualised, implemented, and delivered;

• investing in existing local capacities, structures, solutions, and potentials; and

• promoting individual, community, and systemic resilience to meaningfully reduce risks, vulnerabilities, and eventually needs.

From the outset, RISE has made innovation a central feature of its operating model and has collaborated with external specialised actors such as Mindset PCS and, eventually, Response Innovation Lab, to take on an increasingly prominent role in supporting the nascent South Sudanese humanitarian innovation ecosystem. Since its inception, RISE has made innovation central to its operating model, collaborating with specialised actors (e.g., Mindset PCS) and with RIL to support South Sudan's nascent innovation ecosystem. Response Innovation Lab, a global network of field-based humanitarian innovation platforms and joint initiative of leading response implementers (World Vision, Save the Children, Oxfam, Danish Refugee Council, Civic), has been active in South Sudan since 2019, albeit in a limited, "pop-up" capacity, initially in support of Country Offices of its global Core Partners. In 2024, however, RIL was able to secure funding from Danish Refugee Council to take initial steps in mapping and convening the national humanitarian innovation ecosystem. In partnership with RISE, RIL was able to significantly expand its mapping of stakeholders and innovations and present these findings to key actors through an in-person convening event held in Juba in February 2025.

In parallel, RIL has begun to support the implementation of the seven-country Humanitarian Systems Transformation through Local Humanitarian Leadership (HST LHL) project, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by Oxfam Novib. South Sudan being one of the project countries, RIL and Oxfam agreed to allocate limited funding to support the continued development of a locally-led, collaborative innovation ecosystem platform. This concept note outlines the plan to build a sustainable, community-focused innovation platform through support to the RISE consortium. In parallel, RIL is supporting the seven-country HST LHL project (Dutch MFA/Oxfam Novib), allocating funds to develop a locally-led, collaborative innovation ecosystem platform in South Sudan. This concept note outlines the plan to build a sustainable, adaptive innovation platform with the RISE consortium.

CHALLENGE

Investing in sustainable, locally-led collaborative innovation systems in South Sudan is a key step toward meaningful localisation. Such a system will elevate the visibility of local actors within national, regional, and global humanitarian ecosystems, while enabling them to play a greater role in shaping humanitarian practice and policy. Establishing a strong, locally anchored innovation platform is essential for moving South Sudan's innovation journey beyond its current early stage.

The South Sudan Innovation Working Group (SSIWG) has the potential to restore confidence in innovation and serve as a milestone toward resilience. It can help mitigate the negative effects of recent USAID funding cuts and other crises by fostering self-reliance, building capacity for affordable and sustainable solutions, improving food security, and enabling community-driven initiatives to adapt to conflict and climate shocks. The withdrawal of external funding has severely weakened essential services such as healthcare and food aid, leaving vulnerable groups — especially refugees — without critical support and increasing risks of malnutrition, disease, and instability. This reality underscores the urgency of strengthening a resilient, locally owned innovation ecosystem.

Anchored within the Humanitarian Systems Transformation through Local Humanitarian Leadership framework, the SSIWG will promote self-reliance, strengthen local capacities, and support climate-resilient agriculture and livelihoods to reduce food insecurity. By creating local opportunities and introducing innovative approaches to service delivery, the platform will not only address urgent needs but also reduce the drivers of conflict and dependence on external aid. Given the multiple crises South Sudan faces — conflict, economic downturn, and severe flooding — a locally-led innovation system offers a viable pathway toward durable solutions. The RISE Consortium envisions this shift as an investment in long-term development and economic growth, moving beyond short-term aid to build a more prosperous and stable future.

SOLUTION

RISE and RIL propose to leverage RISE's contextual knowledge and RIL's global innovation expertise to build the South Sudan Innovation Working Group (SSIWG) and strengthen RISE as a local innovation hub. SSIWG will be a lightweight, agile structure focusing on:

• Continuously expanding and updating the digital map of the innovation ecosystem (tracking organisations, solutions, and actors) to improve coordination and visibility (target: over 50 organisations mapped).

• Organising monthly informal SSIWG meetups for innovators and humanitarian actors to share progress, showcase prototypes, explore demand, and develop collaborative solutions (aiming for approximately 24 meetings over 2 years, with at least 50% women/youth participation).

• Convening quarterly innovation workshops and training seminars (in partnership with RIL/HST LHL) on topics such as human-centred design and prototyping (at least 6 events by Year 2).

• Maintaining an online knowledge-sharing platform and curriculum at the CDI for continuous learning (targeting 200 active users by project end).

Additionally, HST LHL support will help develop RISE's Centre for Drip Irrigation (CDI), a demonstration farm and training lab for climate-resilient agriculture. The CDI will co-design innovative drip irrigation prototypes with local farmer groups, prioritising the inclusion of women and youth. Initial pilots will test solar-powered drip systems and resilient crops on demonstration plots. The CDI will train farmers (target ~100 trainees, ≥50% women) and collect data on outcomes (e.g., crop yields, water savings) to iterate and refine the technology. Revenue streams (e.g., sale of drip kits, training fees) will be explored to sustain operations.

PROCESS

To ensure an effective start-up of the South Sudan Innovation Working Group (SSIWG) and the Centre for Drip Irrigation, all SSIWG Committee representatives — AYA, AGA, and NUWERO — have jointly agreed for Active Youth Agency (AYA) to lead as the coordinator of the SSIWG and to lead the establishment of the Centre for Drip Irrigation, as an experienced and well-established local organisation that has implemented many innovative initiatives across South Sudan and shared the CDI concept with the RISE Consortium. AYA has the required expertise to lead project coordination and ensure effective and efficient implementation. AGA, NUWERO, and the other SSIWG organisations enrolled will be partners throughout the entire process, available to provide support during implementation and to fully participate in all activities requiring partner involvement and innovation learning.

Leadership of the platform will be collaborative. While AYA will guide the day-to-day coordination of the SSIWG and implementation of the CDI, AGA, NUWERO, and other consortium members will remain actively engaged through participation in monthly meetings, convenings, and CDI activities. This structure will ensure that leadership is distributed and that partners have regular opportunities to contribute ideas, shape strategy, and test solutions.

In terms of governance and resources, the SSIWG and CDI will be overseen by the RISE Consortium to guarantee accountability and transparency. Capacity strengthening will be supported by partners such as RIL, HST LHL, and Oxfam, particularly in specialised areas such as convening, matchmaking, and support functions. RISE, backed by its global partners, will also take the lead on resource mobilisation, ensuring that the platform is financially viable and sustainable beyond its initial phase.

The SSIWG will rely on a combination of new resources and existing local strengths. Skills in human-centred design, prototyping, and convening will need to be expanded, alongside funding for infrastructure and training. At the same time, South Sudan already benefits from strong community mobilisation, entrepreneurial drive, and the proven track record of local partners like AYA. Addressing these capacity gaps through targeted training and technical support will enable SSIWG and CDI to scale more effectively.

Decision-making will be consultative and transparent. SSIWG will operate as a locally-led coalition coordinated under RISE's oversight, but with open membership to encourage the involvement of a wide range of innovation actors. Regular updates will be shared with consortium members, and key decisions will be made collectively to ensure shared ownership. Engagement with RIL, HST LHL, and Oxfam will keep the platform aligned with international best practice and global innovation trends. Inclusivity is a central principle of the process. Open membership will ensure that women, youth, and marginalised groups are meaningfully represented. The ongoing ecosystem mapping will deliberately seek out missing voices to ensure no group is left behind. RISE will also organise awareness campaigns and ensure equal participation in SSIWG meetings, CDI trainings, and innovation pilots.

To create long-term value, SSIWG and CDI will incubate locally developed ideas that generate both social and economic impact. Partnerships with RIL, HST LHL, and Oxfam will continue to strengthen capacity, while engagement with private sector actors will provide opportunities for co-investment and income generation — for example, through training services or the sale of drip irrigation kits. The platform will also seek formal affiliation with global innovation networks to remain relevant and sustainable after donor funding ends.

Finally, the process includes proactive risk management. Political developments will be closely monitored to minimise disruption, while ongoing resource mobilisation will reduce the risk of funding gaps. Clear leadership structures and communication protocols will help mitigate coordination challenges. Regular reviews and learning cycles among partners will allow risks to be identified early and strategies adapted as needed.