Agriculture Bank supplies fuel to Jonglei farmers

October 14, 2014 (BOR) – Farmers in South Sudan’s Jonglei state have received 42,000 litres of fuel from the national agriculture ministry, courtesy of the National Bank of Agriculture.

State agriculture minister Mayen Ngor said on Tuesday the fuel would benefit farmers in the conflict-affected region.

“This is the first time the state has received agricultural input, which is very, very important for the farming community,” he said.

The fuel, he added, will partly be used for government-owned tractors usually hired out to farmers to plough farms at affordable rates. A fedan of land reportedly costs about 170 South Sudanese pounds (about $35).

“Jonglei has over 70 tractors. And the farmers can hire the tractor so that they can farm the land. So the coming in of this fuel will change the state from a traditional agriculture system to agriculture business,” said the minister.

“Farmers who have water pumping machines that run on diesel-fuel would purchase it [fuel] from the ministry,” he added.

Meanwhile, a committee has already been put in place to handle fuel sale.

Last week, Ngor expressed fears of famine in Jonglei next year, citing poor yields and low agricultural activities resulting from the violence that distabilised the area. Aid agencies earlier warned of looming famine should the country’s ongoing conflict continue.

(ST)