Cosmas Jada

In the heart of Juba, South Sudan, where the desire for stability meets the hope for opportunity, Cosmas Jada James has built more than a farm—he has built a lifeline. A trained social worker and passionate agripreneur, Cosmas is demonstrating how agriculture can nurture both livelihoods and dignity for communities rebuilding after years of hardship.
As Head of Department at The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage (Be In Hope Home), Cosmas oversees programs for child identification, admission, family tracing, reunification, and psychosocial support for orphans and street children. Every day, he works to give vulnerable youth a foundation to rebuild their lives. But his commitment to transformation doesn’t stop there—it extends into the fields of Harmony Agro-Chicken Farm, the enterprise he founded to bring healing and empowerment through agriculture.
“To me, farming is more than food production,” Cosmas explains. “It’s about restoring hope, teaching resilience, and creating paths toward self-reliance.”
Cosmas’s farming journey began early. Growing up with an interest in agriculture, he saw how farming could sustain families even in the toughest times. Guided by this belief, he began Harmony Farm in 2015, starting with crop production before expanding into poultry farming in 2024—a move that turned his small enterprise into a thriving agribusiness.
Through training and mentorship from organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Vision, Cosmas deepened his understanding of sustainable and climate-smart farming, integrating these practices into every stage of production. His farm now produces a wide range of crops—tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, eggplant, baby marrow, kudura, and onions—supplying fresh produce to local markets and contributing directly to food security in Juba.
At the same time, his poultry unit, which raises both local and crossbred chickens, is expanding to meet South Sudan’s growing demand for quality meat and eggs. Currently managing more than 200 birds, Cosmas envisions scaling up operations to become a leading supplier in the region.
What sets Cosmas apart is how he blends social service with agricultural entrepreneurship. Through Harmony Farm, he employs and trains local youth, transforming idle hands into skilled, productive workers. Many of these young people once lacked the knowledge or confidence to farm; today, they are food producers sustaining their own families.
Recognizing that empowerment requires community, Cosmas founded the COVER Youth Group—a network of young people engaged in agriculture who also benefit from his psychological and material support. The group collaborates with NGOs and civil society partners to strengthen youth livelihoods through training, mentorship, and access to capital.
“I’ve seen young people who had given up on themselves find purpose through farming,” says Cosmas. “Agriculture gives them dignity—it gives them a reason to dream again.”
Cosmas’s dual identity as a social worker and farmer reflects his holistic approach to development. Whether caring for orphans, guiding vulnerable youth, or introducing sustainable farming methods, he treats every initiative as part of one mission—life transformation through agriculture. His guiding motto, “Farming for life transformation,” captures this vision perfectly.
With determination and community support, Cosmas plans to scale Harmony Agro-Chicken Farm into one of South Sudan’s leading producers of chicken meat and eggs, while continuing to expand his network of youth agripreneurs. His long-term goal is to establish an agricultural training and mentorship center where young people can acquire practical farming skills and social support under one roof.
For Cosmas Jada James, agriculture is not just a livelihood—it’s a calling. Through every crop, every chick, and every young person he mentors, he is cultivating transformation in its truest sense: from dependency to self-reliance, from vulnerability to empowerment, and from survival to hope.