Warrap assures supportive policy to farming programs

By Ngor Arol Garang

December 24,2009 (KHARTOUM) — Governor of Southern State of Warrap, Tor Deng Mawien, in his Christmas Message, assured his Government commitment to providing a supportive policy to farming and environment programs.

The governor whose state had last week launched farming policy said there is need for hard work in the agricultural sector for the State to become a real regional bread basket and bring the much-needed foreign exchange into the area as well.

“I would like us to promote an export-led growth in the agricultural sector. There is a huge market potential available in our neighboring countries and globally, yet as a state emerging from war, we have not taken advantage of these market opportunities,” he said.

“Not because it is not in our best interest, but situations of wars have never allowed us to make use of agricultural plans we have had in minds at our different times at different levels, he added.

Mawien stressed sustainable development of any country begins with attention to production of sufficient food or agriculture sector and it is only when farmers continue to work hard to produce enough food for themselves and the nation as a whole. When there is enough food, the country is able to export surplus for other developments, he said.

However, he said, because of wars, the country particularly the state of Warrap, over the past years, has never produced enough food hence never exported to any neighboring countries or even state within the country.

He also made mention of climate change that it should not be ignored even as Sudan a country at large continues to find ways of increasing agricultural productivity.

He said South Sudan, as whole, referring to some states of Greater Equatoria region, is now a regional model and recognized as place with people who embraced promotion of conservational agriculture.

Also said his Government is aware of the challenges impeding proper farming even after peace saying that is why he directed state ministries of Agriculture and Finance to work with other stakeholders to find ways of improving crop marketing through a private public partnership arrangement.

But said he needs to establish a robust and carefully planned marketing framework saying using both private and public resources is not only crucial but also urgent.

He said his Government continues to support and implement the Farming policies and Input Support Programs to improve small-scale farmers’ access to inputs for increased output.

He urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives and others involved in the distribution of inputs to ensure that necessary assistances and seeds are given to farmers in good time because they have already been delivered in all counties of the state.

He said administration will continue to explore ways of reducing the cost of production to levels that will stimulate agricultural productivity and competitiveness.

He said Government is committed to the development of irrigation for small-scale, emergent and large-scale farmers adding that he is working on how best to get assistances for irrigable crops from the government of Southern Ministry of irrigation and water resources.

He revealed that his administration has already started implementing a small-scale farmer mechanization programme, adding that the tractor hire initiative was launched last month and will be replicated to cover all counties.

Commenting on governor’s Christmas message which seemed to have focused on Agriculture, Deng Wieu, a food security and livelihood coordinator, in the state ministry of agriculture, said the agricultural sector is facing serious challenges which need open dialogue between Government, farmers and other stakeholders.

He said he is happy that Tor Deng Mawien since he became governor of the state, has always been open for dialogue with the union and thanked him for the gesture and pledged the union’s support to his administration.

But there is urgent need to find practical solutions to problems of farm produce marketing stressing that the challenges and difficulties farmers face year in and year out during marketing seasons are well known, yet there is no solution in sight.

Wieu who holds a degree in agriculture said solutions to marketing challenges require adequate political support backed by strong technical competence from both Government and the private sector.

(ST)