South Sudan minister asks farmers to invest in agriculture

August 26, 2011 (JUBA) – South Sudan caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Ann Itto Friday urged farmers in the region to embark on agricultural production rather than loitering in the streets.

The minister, in one of her last interviews before stepping down, called on farmers to scale up food production to offset the looming threats of hunger and to focus on using sustainable food production to benefit local markets.

Itto, the caretaker minister of agriculture and forestry in an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune on Friday said that the government of South Sudan is looking forward to implement modern systems of agricultural technology.

Earlier this year, the states of Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria and Lakes were seriously hit hard by food shortages meaning that humanitarian organisations like World Food Program (WFP) had to intervene.

“We have whatever it takes to scale up production and that should be our aim because drought is a reality for us and even a number of countries across the region,’’ she said.

The drought which has hit several countries in East Africa, including Somalia is said to be the worst in 60 years.

Itto hopes that increased investment will improve food security by eliminating the current shortages that have engulfed the new country. In her statement, the minister observed that South Sudan’s unreliable rainfall hampers agricultural planning.

“Some parts of our country are experiencing unreliable rains. Some places like Northern Bahr el Ghazal state have gone for more than three weeks without rain”.

“This has significant effect on crops which have already been planted”, said Itto claiming that Burundi, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Congo DRC, Madagascar and Mozambique are all facing the possibility of famine. She said prices for basic goods have gone up because most of the areas depend on imported food.

“We are experiencing [an] upsurge in food prices. I am told maize price in Nairobi has gone up from $215 per ton ($323 per kilo) in January to $465 per ton ($744 per kilo) in June 2011, reflecting price increases of 130 percent. These prices are quadrupled in South Sudan because of transport costs”, she said.

The senior member of the South Sudan’s ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) explained that the policy of her ministry encourages a participatory approach of all groups and associations of farmers, livestock keepers, suppliers, processors, transporters, researchers, in order to push for improved economical and organisational environment for the sector.

She believes that a dialogue between stakeholders and a strengthening
of agricultural associations can assist the sector in becoming commercialised and highly productive, leading to poverty reduction and an improved standard of living for the agricultural community, which makes up the majority in South Sudan.

The minister also warns farmers against cutting down trees which causes deforestation and soil erosion.

(ST)