Warrap calls for more use of ox-ploughs
June 10, 2010 (TURALEI) — A prominent member at the Warrap Legislative Assembly has advised the government to promote oxen ploughs alongside other costly farming machines since modern machines such as tractors remain too expensive for under-developed post-conflict states.
In an interview with Sudan Tribune, the Honorable Bona Bang Dhel said “the prices of tractors are escalating; currently selling at over forty to fifty thousand Sudanese pounds each. This is a huge amount of money to spend on one farming machine.”
He added that this is amount doesn’t cover operational costs. Procurement and maintenance for effective and/or smooth running requires huge amounts of money.
?According to Dhel, instead of buying one tractor, excluding operational costs, you could buy 1,00o ox- ploughs with very low operational costs. They do not need lots of maintenance for smooth running of agricultural operations at the time of the planting period. They are cheap and affordable to the average citizen.??
However, Deng Agoth Kuel, an agriculturalist, who specialized in crop production and animal husbandry at the University of Juba, said “there should be no need to worry since the regional government is determined to revolutionize the agriculture sector while giving the hoe, oxen- plough and tractors equal preference.”
“We look at how best to promote better farming techniques to increase food production among our communities,” he said, adding that he looks forward to seeing members of the parliament spearhead the propagation of modern farming methods to the local populations currently still locked up with obsolete traditional farming methods.??
Agoth further added that Warrap’s state government takes agriculture as one of the top priorities, in collaboration with the food and agriculture organization (FOA) of the United Nations, it started establishing oxen plough centers and by 2009/2010 a total of 85 centers were established in different counties of the state. ??
In Gogrial West County, an additional 23 new centers were established in Akon Payam. They were constructed through the local agricultural development initiative by youth groups in collaboration with some farmers and business people and nongovernmental organizations like Save the Children UK and was executed under the agricultural sector development programs in the county.??
He said these new centers were constructed in Mayen, Nyieth, Akon, Ariang, Amou, Langic, Agal, Ameth, Milou, Akuac, Majak, Athieng, Apabuong just to name a few.
He added that his ministry, through support from the regional government, has facilitated the private sector to establish ox-plough training centers for hiring ploughs at affordable costs in 2008 and 2009.
Agoth Kuel called on private institutions to establish more centers to speed up agricultural development in the country.
(ST)