John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
By Philip Thon Aleu
October 12, 2009 (BOR) – South Sudan rely on imported items including food as if the region cannot produce. But with increasing global food crisis and melting economic, starvation is unavoidable and seldom is investment in farming a priority in South Sudan. John Garang Institute of Science and Technology in Bor takes the unexplored opportunity to “reduce famine.”
About 6.4 km (4 miles) north of Bor town and beyond army barrack, Malual-chat at the bank of River Nile, an intercropped garden is a hint for ignored richness in South Sudan as this scribe always put it.
Maize cobs lengthy to 20 cm, huge groundnuts-roots, loaded sesame stem, flourishing dura (sorghum) and vegetables tell visitors the quality of soil – fertile. But thousands of people live under severe hunger every year.
“If we invest in farming, living standards can improve,” Samuel Wuoi Mabior, an Agriculture student in Dr. John Garang Institute in Bor noted. Mr. Wuoi was one of the students touring the farm for the first time on Saturday October 10. The initiate works including clearing of trees, land tilting and planting began several months ago on this field estimated at 630,000 meter square (0.63km2).
South Sudan markets are flooded with packed food items mainly from Uganda and Kenya. Raw farm products like bananas and vegetables such as apples, tomatoes, onions, cabbages, egg-plant etc. But the duo east African countries are tightening exporting food items as domestic prices surge according to latest reports. South Sudanese cannot wait.
Tractor ploughed over half a kilometer arable land since last April. The machines efficiency and quantitative output is unknown in these villages partly due combination of poverty, low technology and government negligence to invest here over the last decades.
“We have hands like other people in the world,” John Alier popularly known as John Actually who is a Natural Science student said adding “this will reduce famine in Jonglei state. It is also an indication that machines (tractors) work better.”
“This is a nice work and should be use for public benefits,” Santos Deng Yak, a Law student responded when asked whether the farm serve any purpose to Jonglei state citizens.
Harvesting started. Groundnuts, simsim and maize are being gathered. In turn, Dr. John Garang Institute has employed casual workers from local village.
In Jonglei, villagers moved to urban centers seen as better secured. Living standards are harsh making monthly saving even difficult for working class. With high rate of unemployment among the youths and lack of capital to start agricultural activities, hanging around the town even become more complicated.
A campaign by state Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk to return people to villages is always challenged by repeated attacks by raiders or more organized forces targeting government troops.
(ST)
Dr. Chui
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
Dear readers
I appreciate the publication of this particular article on agriculture. Southern Sudan is entirely rich in minerals, fertile land and perfect climate that is suitable for farming. if we use the land wisely then we can keep the UN away from our Coountry like the rest of the Developed world.
I appreciate the Gov and the governor for appropriate investment in this field.
On the other hand, we needs more positive report like this in different fields of development rather than corruption and signs of war. If we realise this, it clear this is why the enemy is jelious about our land of S. Sudan than the deserted northern Sudan.
if we lives in peace then we can share alot from our land! and if not then devastation, poverty and insecurity shall be among us for ever
peace in My country
Dr. Chui
Mabior Ayuen Dengajok
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
This is agreat contributions, depending on food aid only does not make people think for them selves in long term and particularly the development of the region, development happens when almost everyone in the State involves doing something that generates income, where others are employed in different sectors of jobs, simply the economic can improved.
People tend to waits for ratio to be distributed and the food aid can not provides the needs needed by the people.
Food aid is associated with western politics, it’s political propaganda of making African Nations not to focus on productivity, but relaying on foriengn foods.
The State is copying well, and more works needs to be done, not alone in Jonglei, other States must do the same step.
I thanks Kuol Manyang Juuk for his wisdom and hardworking
Dinka Boy
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
Great move citizens of Jonglei and the entire Southerners.
This state tried harder to make some development,but there are primitives that are interest in raiding due to the Arabs tactics against Southerners. The development is hard because of numererous Nuer Militia that are paid now and then by our enemy.
I hope that if we revise the State of Jonglei and sent some idiot tribes out who like doing the parasitics like and leave those who knew development in the state, I believed there will be development in daylight.
There are long tails animals in the state that are always backward and betrayals beyond the development.
Thanks
Dengtaath
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
Mr. general how much it cost for military air craft? And if no transportation how can you get round?
The problem is not about government vehicles, the problem is a lack of laws that protect the people.
Our people they farm since before 1983,though it was primitive farming system, there had never been a food disaster in south sudan when people were enjoying peace.This government need to ensure peace first than any thing they do. But good move in Jonglei.
Critic_Ngueny
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
Good things for Southerners start within Bor town,take an example of the SPLM/A in 1983.If we would have not gone into the bush in order to liberate Equatorians from Arab they would have faced so many challenges.Majority of the Equatorians were and are still cleaning toilets for Arab in the North.Shame on them wherever they are.
Critic_Ngueny from Bor town
Critic_Ngueny
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
I am very much sure about that there is nothing to be done without Dinka Bor as well as Dinka Bhar el ghazel in the South.Equatorians are just our barking dogs and they will be barking as much as they need.
Critic_Ngueny from Bot town
Gatwech
John Garang Institute farm to reduce famine in Jonglei
Philip Thon Aleu,
That is a good initiative if it can really succeed. It would be good to imitate the Bentiu project of 400,000 hectares for all sorts of agricultural produce.
But Philip Thon, you made me laugh man because of your poor background in mathematics, or was it a typing error you couldn’t correct? Look at this sentence you wrote below:
“The initiate works including clearing of trees, land tilting and planting began several months ago on this field estimated at 630,000 meter square (0.63km2.”
How did your maths make 0.63km2 to be equal to 630,000 meters square? That is misleading information! Do you know that 0.63km2 means 6.3 km2? And do you know that 6.3 km2 is equal to 6,300 meters square, NOT 630,000 meters square? Calculate it this way, 1km = 1,000 meters (1km2=1,000 meters square).
I was amazed of that huge land, but found out later on that you mislead the readers. The land is just 6.3km2, NOT 63km2. Wow, we need to be careful reading, guys.