South Sudan pledges to support organized farmers
June 27, 2010 (JUBA) — The regional government of southern Sudan has pledged to support organized farmers in the region as one of the critical focus in agriculture sector.
“The government of southern Sudan has prioritized plans. These include agriculture, education, security, health, roads, water and sanitation with connection of the urban towns with power supply from electricity,” explained Dr. Kwaje to the farmers.
He urged farmers to form farmers association or union so as to be able to access financial supports from government and other private institutions including the national government and UN agencies.
“If you form association with aims linking smallholder farmers to national, regional and international institutions, you will assemble a lot of supports than being individuals,” he said.
“With more compact and coherent farmer organizations, the dialogue with governments and regional economic communities is most likely to yield conducive policies for sustainable agricultural sector growth,” he adds.
He noted that this is the only way in which the commercialization and growth interests of smallholder farmers can be championed.
Other key areas of focus identified are vital paradigm shifts, increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing support and participation in regional programmes and the need for commodity diversification in production and marketing systems.
Dr. Kwaje noted through organized farmers, government of southern Sudan in collaboration international organizations that work in partnership with governments, will assist farmers’ union to develop training and other marketing services to make the farmer associations more attractive for the grassroots organizations to join.
He said despite agriculture being the leading sector in terms of employment and livelihood in the region, it had fallen short of driving economic growth consistently.
He said government of southern Sudan is keen to contribute to higher productivity through encouraging participants in the agricultural sector to adopt modern methods of production and marketing.
“For example, correct use of modern bio-technology and increased use of irrigation can only benefit our farmers, and not hurt them. Indeed, the 21st century belongs to those who are pragmatic and can seize the opportunities as they arise,” he said.
Dr Kwaje urged farmers who paid him congratulatory visit to use key programmes at ministry which help in dealing with key market development issues.
(ST)
Lukudu
South Sudan pledges to support organized farmers
Thank you Dr Samson.
This public sector is what each and every country in the globe rely on. Indeed the problem of hunger in South Sudan is due to food shortage and this food shortage is due to lack of farming activities taking place in the country particularly in the South. It is great to hear such an opportunity that can open ways for current farmers to enlarge their small-scale farms to large-scale ones.
Many of us in diaspora have heard of all the efforts to supply agricultural machinery including tractors but with little or no participation from the local farmers according to various sources of information. There are resources floating in the world bank for agricultural activities as well as FAO but no one knows why farmers in Sudan have not been able to utilize or apply for such resources. What I would like to know is how possible can other farmers who have not implemented any farm activities can join with others to start farm activities.