USAID launched Jonglei food security program in Bor

By John Actually

October 13, 2011 (BOR) – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday launched a $54 million food security project in South Sudan’s troubled Jonglei state.

In his statement launching the Food Security Program (JFSP) USAID’s South Sudan country director Kevin Mullally said the would operate in the state counties of Bor, Akobo, Ayod, Nyirol, Pibor, Pochala, Wuror and Twic East.

In a ceremony conducted at the Jonglei state ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the ministry of Livestock and Fisheries on Thursday, the mission director said that the program aims to improve food security of about 150,000 vulnerable households across the state by June 2014.

“Together, we will do this by strengthening households and community resiliency to food insecurity, increasing crop and livestock productivity, and helping agro-pastoralists and pastoralists build their production capacity and business skills”, he said.

“Through it, we seek to support their efforts to reduce food insecurity and reduce conflicts in Jonglei”.

Mullally thinks that the programs will contribute to the state conflict mitigation efforts to address the outstanding conflicts in Jonglei.

Over 1,000 people have been killed, according to local reports, in a cycle of retaliation attacks between Nuer and Murle in Jonglei beween June and August this year.

Aid agencies and Jonglei’s state government believe that engaging youth economically will help reduce violence, cattle raiding and child abduction.

Mullally said USAID will support wildlife conservation in the state and academic opportunities through programs with John Garang Memorial University of Science and technology.

Catholic Relief Services [CRS], Save the Children and Joint Aid Management [JAM] are the implementing agencies of food security program.

Jonglei state governor, Kuol Manyang Juuk expressed his appreciations to USAID for its commitments to South Sudan during the decades long civil war and that led to a 2005 peace deal that allowed the country to secede in July this year.

Juuk said, “today, both the government and CRS, JAM and USAID have agreed to wage war against hunger and poverty in Jonglei of South Sudan”.

“This gives me a feeling that Jonglei food security program will set a strong base toward achieving a permanent solution to a recurring incidences being experienced by our people”, said Juuk.

He said the state food security initiative is a unique economic development.

“We look forward to cooperating with in its full implementation and its proper execution will develop our people’s ability to be self-reliance on food production”.

Juuk said his state has millions of hectares of agricultural land could be fully utilised with the help of modern technology.

He said through the help of USAID and CRS and other partners, the program will achieve its mission and vision within a reasonable time saying it will create job opportunities to vulnerable skilled and unskilled youth.

“Jonglei Food Sercurity Program has come at the right time for the people of Jonglei and it represents an opportunity for really change for the better” said Juuk.

“Given the important of this program and the change it will bring to the people of Jonglei, I am personally eager to see it happen as soon as possible”. He said.

The state minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mayen Ngor pledged total cooperation, collaboration and coordination with the implementing agencies.

Ngor called up on the agencies to have an obligation and commitment to
carryout the program diligently and professionally despite the hardships they may face.

According to Ngor, newly independent South Sudan is faced with persistent challenges. Food shortages are common and many of the rural poor rely on low output subsistence farming. Jonglei, like all states in South Sudan has a poor road network making it hard to farmers to markets.

“We wish our donors to concentrate on the areas of prerogative potential needs to alleviate poverty, suffering and restore our hopes”, Ngor said.

As well as USAID’s mission director in South Sudan Kevin Mullally, the event was attended by food for peace officer Alfred Osei, director of the UN Special Envoy’s office Larry Andre and , USAID Program officer Michelle Barette among others.

(ST)