Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
July 24, 2011 (JUBA) – Salva Kiir Mayardit, president of the newly established state of South Sudan on Sunday said his administration would put increased food production amongst its development priorities.
He called on the citizens to “grow what they eat and eat what they grow” at a well-attended Church Service at Kator Cathedral on Sunday. Kiir urged young people to rise up to the challenge and engage in agricultural activities and lamented that farming is diminishing in the area.
Farming areas have turned into forest again through lack of activity said Kiir, who became South Sudan’s first president on July 9,
“If I tell you to till the land, you say it is difficult. But farming and death which one is difficult? We all know that you cannot go to heaven without dying, so how is it possible for you to have something without sweating?”
“Why not cultivate and sell a bag of rice or sorghum for money than sitting idle and expect everything to come from the government. Everybody look to the government and begin asking everything, said president calling also on the private sector to take part in the development of the country by constructing good buildings, saying they have not been helpful to the development of the area.”
“Today if you see a good building in South Sudan, it belongs to either NGOS (None Governmental Organizations) or government and the people with money especially those with money from the private sector are sitting and watching,” he concluded.
Stephen Dhieu Dau, a caretaker minister trade and industry in a separate interview with the Sudan Tribune on Sunday described agriculture as the backbone of the nation’s economy.
The Trade minister stressed that farming is not only a venture for the poor, and urged the country’s wealthy business individuals to venture into agriculture to ensure that the country produces enough food for consumption and export.
Minister Dau observed that South Sudan has a massive trade deficit. He urged business people to help reverse the trend by working to ensure that the country also grows goods to export. This, he added will enhance and add value to the country’s economy.
The Trade minister also urged the citizenry to cultivate food crops like maize, underscoring their economic potential. He pointed out that the massive production of maize will not only benefit people, but will also feed for livestock.
“I will enjoin the business men and women to tighten their belts and join hands together and ensure that they partake in whatever ventures that will bring development in the country,” he concluded.
Jackson Awan Mayor, who identified himself as a local farmer in Yirol West County, Lakes State, commended the president Kiir for fulfilling most of the pledges he made to them during April elections.
Achol Marial, a member of parliament representing the area at South Sudan Legislative Assembly turned National Assembly, said the president has fulfilled most of the pledges he made in 2010 when he came to the area.
He added that the pledges included a senior secondary school, feeder roads, and so on.
He commended President for initiating the Emergency Agricultural Production Project (GEAPP) which intends to provide local farmers with all the farming tools including power tillers, which he said would significantly help farmers to increase food production in the area and across the country.
(ST)
Mi diit
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
well, mr. president, gat-yardit, your words sound good but don’t expect miraculous implementation. it needs hard work free from all weaknesses in government. to tell you the truth it will take long, long time to achieve food security in south sudan. why?
1/ insecurity in south sudan scares most farmers and will not farm dozens of meters away from their houses because of rebels and landmines. we need to be serious to maintain security by making south sudan free from rebels through negotiations and fair governance and rule of law. clear all those landmines too.
2/ local farmers have not been empowered financially and with capacity building. there is need for development bank of south sudan to support not only farmers or food security sector but also all the other development sectors through well spelled out terms of loans free from favors based on tribalism, nepotism, regionalism and so forth.
3/ corruption in government is another big threat. this disease called corruption can never allow achievement of food security no matter how much budget you put into the accounts of those ministers working in the area of food security because they will still end up in their private pockets. you know what I mean!
this is why it is even important this time to privatize all those sectors and hand them over to direct foreign investments for sometime in order to kick start them successfully for us. in this way we can turn south sudan into greenland to feed not only us but also the region of africa as predicted by ngundeng.
Dinka Dominated SPLA/M
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Mi Dit or Gatwech
You have got it right this time but one things that you undermine southeren is your ideas of evil Ngundeng which is not national symbol or national trust by whol soceities in South Sudan.
If you belied so called ngudeng is really. how came Nuer keep committing crimes which they knew that ngundeng don’t like it?
Anyway good talked. buddy
AdierCien
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
In The Name Of The Trinity God Amen
The Nation like South Sudan is very important to make food basket bigger enough to withstand it.
I know we still lack modern technology for farming but one thing I like most from our Southern citizens is their quicks understanding, adoption and involvement in to something that profitable.
Look at foreigns business institutions now in Juba. The discriminate our local people and employs their own natives who came with them and we still have people in the market making business with them even bigger. These local men don’t have capital but they are not out competed. So, I hope when the modern farming in agriculture took time to arrive in South Sudan successfully, people will adopt it very serious and that is what we like.
One thing needs the work of social workers is the problem of water for domestic use for example in rural areas, water is scarce. It need borehole equipments in place so that when there is a need for them it should be available. This is in areas like Warrap and at the foot of Wau surroundingly.
May God Bless The Work Of Your Hands Mayardit.
Bush
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
… and who are those going to cultivate now? some communities are lazy and live on lies and corruption, others live on violence and hatred while those who are suppose to farm and feed the nation are ignored, abused and insulted daily that they did not fight the war.
Let’s wait and see some states will soon starve to death if they don’t want to engage in farming activities.I’m encouraging my beloved states to concentrate more in farming so that they can sell the surplus and feed their children and educate them then fighting for government positions.
Nhomlawda
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Mi Diit
Good points but you forgot good land policy in the country.
True South Sudanese need flexible land policy for farming which is lacking now. Farmers need to own land legally to facilitate them to get loan. The government also needs to make it easy for true South Sudanese to acquire land quickly and cheaply to facilitate farming.
The government has to provide that avenue of getting loan as you have stated to encourage large scale farming.
Waucity
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
So called Mi Dit, has just insulted they president…gat-yardit?…His name is Kiir Mayardit.Get it fool!!!!!!!!!
harry
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Why president starts making these kind of statements from Churches now! Is Republic of South Sudan moving towards a full christian state now? Where is the “separation church and state policy”? Mr. president shut up, when you have nothing to say on Sundays!
Harry,
Abyei Soil
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Bush,
I always appreciate your arguments on this webpage because I see you one day will make a difference in your community. Don’t worry Southerners are all equal in national level. There is no needs for you to cry tribe being insulted. Who abuse you or your community? Is he Salva Kiir?
If he is a somebody like me insult you, why not to insult him back the same?
Take it easy these are media languages and outside there is differences I hope you got Me sir.
Abu sala
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Not again Mr Kiir, remember the money you put out for food security 2 Billion Dollas and the went into wrong hands instead of buying a food and feed the hungry citizens. Your ideas of eradicating hungry is good ideas but be smart this time, develop non corrupt systems, no direct cash. South Sudan need to stop relying on oil which means all oil exploration must be stop and more engagement on farming is priority. Let Ann Itto come up with World standard of Farming not South Sudan standard (Standard of using Jembe, hoe etc). Even Asia Standard is more better, they used cattles for ploughing instead human digging to aviod back injuries.
Mading Makuac
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Dear Mi Diit(big man)
Thanks for all of your good comments you contributed Today,
before i thought you are tribalist but i learn now you are
patriotic .you said almost every points i gonna tell the
president.
You are right Mr. president to put food security first as
one of your plannings but insecurity is one major problem
which will affect farming in our country becoz some states like Jonglei ,Unity and many others are rich not only in oil
but also good for farming but local people don’t have enough
security.
It seems that you president encourage people to till the land but your government does not plan to create a very
big farm which supply food to the citizens or selling the produces to neighboring countries.
dakin
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Leave Jonglei and Unity states, Western Equator!a alone can feed the whole of South Sudan ! And you will not even dream of importing bananas, pineapple etc..
It is however occupied by the LRA unfortunately
Bentiu and Jonglei likewise face the same
challenge and no one would dare do some cultivation along the all season fertile Nile basin in Eastern Jikany … That is suicide !
But why the church? Surely God commands us to toil and till the land for food even Kiir in RSS toils to pocket the pedro-dollar
Adam
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
It is a good speech, but it should not be in be made in the church. We’re not all Christians, Muslims or whatever. Most of us are embracing our ancestral believes and we don’t want to be converted. We don’t want RoSS to be Religious. In the Church or Mosque we expect our leaders to set good examples for worshipers and speak of righteousness and motivate them to abandon evil doings and be good to each other and respect our family system etc.
This speech would have been in the right place if it was delivered in a seminar on agriculture or South economy. It would have been even much better if said during launching a government program to distribute capacity building materials for farmers or during an agricultural guidance program or land reform policy.
At any rate, it is a good speech like many of Mr. President’s ones, but not realistic. Mr. Mi diit mentioned very important perquisites, and I will add to them:
1. Address corruption seriously by appointing (free from favors based on tribalism, nepotism, regionalism and so forth), as mentioned above
2. Land policy: land is for its known owners. Tribal and family rights should not be threatened. Confiscated ancestral land by SPLA/M should be returned to owners.
3. Maintain security (removing all threats – human or physical)
4. Empower farmers (Enlightenment programs, training, improved seeds, pest and weed control, agricultural tools and machinery etc)
5. Agriculture Bank should provide loans to sponsor tractors, irrigation systems and poultry intermediate technologies etc. Again this should be free from favors based on tribalism, nepotism, regionalism and so forth.
6. Good marketing network and policy.
7. Health care and safe drinking water for farmers and village inhabitants is very crucial. A sick person won’t be able to cultivate or even maintain a subsistence farm.
Can our agriculture specialists add to this list please?
Starting our agricultural development by selling the land to foreign companies is very dangerous. That should never happen. We can import expertise and technologies but not merciless sharks.
Adam Milawaki, Kwajok
Billiu Puoch
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Mr.Cowboy (Mayar Diit) was talking about food production instead of education purpose.What a really Cowboy,shame on you.When are you going to learn and forget about the cases of food?
I realize that,you will not rule this country for long because your mind is full of food (Kuan).
Mr.Dinka will you deny that,Dinka doesn’t concentrated on food? Some people are mourning at the corner of Country but the President was addressing his own food consumers at the church apart from overcoming and overcoming the situations, that people face in Unity State.
Mr.Cowboy,you are good man but the problem is,your people are defending on food only for their surviving.
Long live Riek Machar the qualify leader in S.Sudan.
Adam
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Correction, please.
==================================
1.Address corruption seriously by appointing a good government (free from favors based on tribalism, nepotism, regionalism and so forth), as mentioned above
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Adam
gatwech hoth loang
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
kiir may meant it but the corrupt government will not implement it in that way brothers
victor sani
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Dear Billiu Puoch
Idnt Understand whats problem brothers of Upper nile [Nuer ] their problem with Dinka .when you see some comments is base on Dinka .
its the matter of responsibilities in the Government Nuer are there .so brothers can we put comments on something which benefit us in this website instead talking about Dinka and Nuer on website .this thing take us back to the grassroots that we dnt know anything in the world .and God bless all.
Victor sani
Paul Chadrack
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
charity begin at home, Kiir should return his home bank to it’s original place (Bank of South Sudan) but not to keep public money in his house for his relatives and friends.we don’t like seeing him always talking of corruption and zero tolerance,
but he is much involved in it, that’s why he convinced Pagan to come back to the government because him (pagan)would reveal all the secretes to the public. good for independent but with wrong person as a president for the new nation.
Edema Darius Marcello
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Dear Audience,
H.E President is right and his Minister for trade. Agricultural work is not a problem, thanks for encouraging.
What about the feeder road for transporting the product of agricultural produce.
What about reorganization of rearing of community of Pastoralist whose cattle are rooming every where in South Sudan, interfering with Non Pastoralist agricultural yield
What about Idlers who are interfering with Business men profits at the border making food price go up and so hard for your citizen.
Your Excellency have eye on Corruption and too many Clearance and forwarding in your international borders and internal border, check points in South Sudan, other wise we are talking of zero freedom, we should not be freed to work for lazy given communities.
Try hard, your are on right truck but take it all.
Son of Positive Thinker.
Brobo
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
well mr dinka it’s good to talk about things which you don’t know right,it was like, ngundeng is prophet for all the southern, is not for Nuer only, but you don’t have idea about him that is why you talk about him,
alright about president kiir he will do the height produce of food but I don’t hope so, because dinka like eating to much,you can say things which are not implemented.
now the south is become a country which recognizing by out side power while you are ignore other tribe in south do you think that south belong to dinka, not yet guys let we be settle and we are going to see what should conclusion,
at list you will implementation for other tribe to have their freedom for every things equality,in that way we shall be good.Ngundeng oyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
SSLA supporter
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Mi Diid
That alcoholic Dinka chief, called Salva Kiir is a joke to anyone who
listens to his nonsense remarks or comments that he always makes with alcohol overhang still affecting the function of his small brain!!
First, before this maniac even saturates the media with his nonsense promises to do things that he doesn’t even know to tackle them, he is needed to first of all answer the bloody assassination of General Gatluak Gai by his SPLA terrorist network, otherwise whatever he says prior to that is useless and only will make him a legitimate next target in the assassination row!! God destroy SPLA/M and bless SSLA!!
Mading Makuac
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Dear Victory,
it is habit from our brothers who used to abuse Dinka
every times but abuses will not help us build our
country. Anyway ,Let them say whatever they like.
MINDED.DUDE
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Gatluak Gai family need to summon the Riek machar and his wife to answer the questions or stand trial for col,Gatluak Gai death.
KIIR got nothing to do with his death.
There is bad and good news here,the bad news was that Gatluak Gai was forced to rebelled against the people government.
The good news was the terrorist was eliminated peacefully without any innocent lives casualities.
Mr. Truthteller
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
Dear South Sudanese,
I love most of your comments today. They are constructive. Please let us keep up the new spirit and stop writing nonsence.
Your brother, the truthteller.
Mi diit
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
thanks mr. truthteller for the compliment. i hope the others will reciprocate.
zandara
Kiir puts food production amongst top developmental plans
well said mate minus your evil ngundeng.