Sustainable Peace, Environment, and Economic Development (SPEED) Project

Sustainable Peace, Environment, and Economic Development (SPEED) Project

Community Development Centre (CDC) is pleased to announce a new 24-month Project titled Sustainable Peace, Environment, and Economic Development (SPEED). This project aims to strengthen community resilience, promote sustainable livelihoods, and foster peaceful coexistence in communities along the Uganda–South Sudan border that have been affected by displacement, environmental degradation, and climate change.

The SPEED project builds on the achievements and lessons learned from the PAMANA project (Building Peace Through Sustainable Access to and Management of Natural Resources in West Nile and Central Equatoria), implemented between 2021 and 2024. While PAMANA made important contributions to peacebuilding and natural resource management, several needs remained unmet due to the scale and complexity of the challenges in the region. SPEED therefore seeks to consolidate previous gains, expand successful approaches, and deepen impact within the same geographic areas.

The project is expected to reach 20,160 direct beneficiaries and 55,000 indirect beneficiaries, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities.

Implementation will focus on Yei and Lainya Counties in Central Equatoria State (South Sudan) and Koboko and Yumbe Districts in the West Nile region (Uganda).

Project Approach: The Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Triple Nexus

The SPEED project adopts a Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Triple Nexus approach, integrating humanitarian assistance, development programming, and peacebuilding interventions to address both immediate needs and long-term resilience. The project focuses on three core outcomes, supported by a cross-cutting commitment to gender equality.

Outcome 1: Humanitarian – Households in the target communities will experience improved food security through the provision of agricultural inputs, enhanced farming skills, and increased capacity for sustainable agricultural production.

Outcome 2: Development – The project will strengthen resilient livelihoods by promoting sustainable natural resource management (NRM) and climate-resilient agricultural practices, while improving ecosystem health and environmental sustainability.

Outcome 3: Peace – Communities and local authorities will gain enhanced skills, tools, and institutional capacity for conflict prevention, dialogue, and peaceful resolution of disputes, particularly those related to natural resource management and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

Cross-Cutting Outcome: Gender Equality – The project places strong emphasis on increasing women’s participation in leadership and decision-making processes at household, community, and institutional levels.

Project Partnership and Implementation

The SPEED project is led by Caritas Switzerland (CACH) and implemented through a consortium of local and technical partners.

Local implementing partners include:

Community Development Centre (CDC)

Agency for Accelerated Regional Development (AFARD) – working alongside CDC in West Nile, Uganda

Organization for Agricultural Opportunities (OFAO) – working alongside CDC in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan

And as the technical partner, swisspeace (Schweizerische Friedensstiftung) will be providing specialized expertise in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

Project Overview

Speed Project

Context and Rationale

The protracted conflict in South Sudan has displaced approximately 4.5 million people, many of whom have sought refuge in neighboring Uganda. This displacement has placed significant pressure on host communities, particularly in terms of land access, public services, and natural resource use.

The PAMANA programme (2021–2024) addressed several of these challenges by promoting sustainable natural resource management and peacebuilding initiatives across refugee-hosting communities in the West Nile region of Uganda and Central Equatoria State in South Sudan. However, the programme’s limited geographic and operational scope meant that many structural issues remained unresolved.

The SPEED programme therefore continues working within the same geographic areas and with many of the same community structures established under PAMANA, while expanding coverage and introducing additional partners and interventions. The programme aims to strengthen food security, promote agroecological farming systems, improve environmental stewardship, and advance gender equality as key pillars of long-term sustainability.

In response to recommendations from the final evaluation of PAMANA, SPEED will prioritize the inclusion of women and female youth, particularly those from refugee and host communities. The project will also ensure meaningful participation of other marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities and older persons, in both project activities and decision-making processes.