NRC aids 400 fishermen with canoes in Jonglei state
December 18, 2015 (BOR) – The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has distributed 16 wooden canoes to boost an estimated 400 fishermen in South Sudan’s Jonglei state.
One of the major fish producing states along the River Nile, Jonglei lacked fishing equipment, preservative boxes and good landing sites, which were identified as major challenges in region before NRC came in to support the local fishing communities.
“We are giving boats because we have seen huge needs for them. These people are doing fishing but they have challenges and we have identified they don’t have boats which they can use for fishing”, said David Machar, a food security officer with NRC.
The agency had planned to distribute a total of 16 boats with carrying capacities of at least half tone, depending on whether it was dry or wet fish.
Distribution of the boats started from Akuak and Mayen villages at the riverside to Gakyuom in Bor and expected to reach Kolnyang in a few days.
According to NRC’s plan, one boat would serve 25 fishermen involved in the activity. In total, 400 beneficiaries would receive 16 boats at the end.
Before the South Sudan crisis erupted in December 2013, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) distributed small canoes to the population in Jonglei through its partners. Many of the boats are, however, idly lying in areas like Likuangule town in Pibor county.
Adeng Ngong, the chief of Mayen village said his people would be able to access far fishing grounds and catch lots of fish using the distributed canoes.
“With these canoes in hands, we will be able to take our nets for fishing to places we never reached before, this will increase our catch”, said Ngong.
Meanwhile some of the locals also said they would easily use the boats to ferry people to the other side of the river in case another conflict breaks out.
South Sudan is traditionally a cattle-dominated economy. However, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the fishing sector, if fully developed, could give 80,000 South Sudanese employment and enough food to eat while exporting fish could reportedly earn the world’s youngest nation an estimated half a billion dollars annually.
(ST)