UN World Food Programme Country Director 'one of Donegal’s finest ambassadors'

A Mountcharles woman who is Country Director for the UN World Food Programme in South Sudan has been described as one of “Donegal’s finest ambassadors.”

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue met with Mary-Ellen McGroarty on his international development mission to the Horn of Africa in South Sudan.

“Under Mary-Ellen McGroarty, the World Food Programme is providing daily food support to over four million people, as well as leading many development projects to help local communities become more food secure,” Minster said. “The work that Mary-Ellen and the World Food Programme do is truly inspirational, and I was glad to commit a 40 per cent increase in Ireland’s funding for the work of the World Food Programme while with her in South Sudan.”

Pointing out that the primary focus of his visit was to engage with the World Food Programme (WFP), as Ireland prepares for a new Strategic Partnership Agreement with WFP for 2025 to 2027, he continued: “ I am proud to be the first Cabinet Minister from Ireland to visit South Sudan and the first Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to see how funding provided by my department is supporting communities on the ground. The people here in South Sudan are predominantly pastoralists who rely on agriculture to feed their families and for their income.”

Reflecting on his visit to farm projects in Warrap State, South Sudan, the Minister McConalogue commented: “The stark realities of farming were evident while speaking with the community of farmers at Molboor cattle camp in Juba. Disease, low productivity, and traditional practices are impacting negatively on their ability to support themselves.

“WFP South Sudan, under the leadership of Country Director, and Donegal native, Mary-Ellen McGroarty, are supporting farmers to diversify their systems. It was a privilege to speak to farmers, particularly women farmers, in Alek who with support from WFP are growing vegetables all year round with the use of purpose-built ponds and climate-resistant crops such as cassava. This improves resilience and food security, thereby reducing the need for food assistance.”

Minister McConalogue also met with NGOs and UN representatives strengthening relations which began with South Sudan’s independence in 2011.

“Practically all the Irish NGOs are present in the Horn of Africa, and I met with representatives in all three countries,” he added. “This is one of the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarian workers to work in and I want to recognise them and thank them for the work they are doing.”

In its short 12-year history, South Sudan has been plagued by conflict and devastating weather events. Humanitarian assistance is required by 75% of its population, of which some 87% rely on agriculture, livestock, and forestry. This has been exacerbated by the arrival of over 600,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. Ireland’s support to South Sudan is through the Government of Ireland’s International Development Programme which includes partnerships with NGOs and multilateral agencies such as WFP and FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organisation).

Minister McConalogue also met with NGOs and UN representatives - strengthening relations which began with South Sudan’s independence in 2011.

“Practically all the Irish NGOs are present in the Horn of Africa, and I met with representatives in all three countries,” he said. “This is one of the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarian workers to work in and I want to recognise them and thank them for the work they are doing.”

The Minister started his visit to the Horn of Africa in Kenya, where he announced a global funding commitment of €105m to WFP from Ireland for the period 2025 to 2027 – a 40 per cent increase on the previous three-year period. The funding will be provided by the Minister’s Department which is the lead for Ireland’s engagement with the WFP.

Minister McConalogue said: “I was privileged to visit the World Food Programme’s operations at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya, see their vital ongoing work and meet some of those living there. I also met with women involved in local projects in horticulture and fish processing. While in Nairobi, I met with members of Government and visited projects in Nairobi supporting women’s empowerment in agri-food and a food waste project that is partnering with Food Cloud in Ireland.”

On the Ethiopian leg of his visit, the Minister earmarked €30 million of the new funding commitment specifically for the Horn of Africa, a region of extreme need because of drought, conflict, and the ongoing impacts of climate change. He visited WFP operations in the Afar region in North-Eastern Ethiopia.

“The people of Afar face many challenges but, as well as hearing about the significant WFP food assistance programme there, I had the opportunity to visit farm projects in the region and to speak with smallholder farmers,” he said. “I saw the use of irrigation canals to support the intercropping of maize and haricot beans. WFP’s mission is to save lives and to change lives and projects such as these can empower people to transition to self-sufficiency.”

While in Addis Ababa, Minister McConalogue met with the Ministry of Agriculture, UN representatives and the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Development at the African Union (AU), H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko. Commissioner Sacko invited Ireland to be a bilateral partner with the AU on food systems transformation.

Minister McConalogue’s trip was undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and he attended several St Patrick’s Day events.

“I want to acknowledge the work of our Irish ambassadors, Caitriona Ingolsby and Nicola Brennan, to advance Ireland’s diplomatic presence across East Africa,” he said. “At various events marking St Patrick’s Day, I met with members of the Irish communities in each of the countries I visited, including NGOs, missionaries and business people, and also with many friends of Ireland.”