New project addresses food insecurity in Jonglei state

November 24, 2011 (BENTIU) — Jonglei state and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have agreed to implement a food security program to support targeting vulnerable communities, in the conflict affected state.

Jonglei’s minister for agriculture and forestry, Mayen Ngor Atem, revealed the project on 20 November at the official opening of Pochalla Farmer Training Center.

The Pochalla Farmer Training Center was built by NPA Agriculture Project funded by USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). The project will cover Jonglei’s nine counties.

“I’m pleased to officially inform you that that Joint Aid Management (JAM) will implement a development program funded by the USAID for a period of three years in Pochalla County,” said Atem.

The program aims to help the communities in Pochalla, who have been receiving emergency food assistance, to recover and rebuild their livelihoods. Deadly cattle raids in August caused thousands to flee their homes.

However, the minister said Pochalla county has big potential for return on investment and was at an advantage compared to other counties in Jonglei.

“Pochalla is a productive agriculture zone and is a priority of the state and Government of Republic of South Sudan,” Atem said.

The program will help meet the needs of nearly 150,000 chronically and temporarily food-insecure households in Akobo, Ayod, Bor, Nyirol, Pibor, Pochalla, Twic East, and Wuror in Jonglei State and will run for three years. The USAID project will be in partnership with Catholic Relief Services and its implementing partners Save the Children and Joint Aid Management.

“Jonglei state is one of the most food-insecure states in South Sudan, due to conflict and extreme natural disasters, including drought and floods, compounded by weak infrastructure,” minister Atem said.

“The program will strengthen household and community resiliency to food insecurity; increase crop and livestock productivity; and help agro-pastoralists and pastoralists increase their income by building their production capacity and business skills.”

“I would like to recognise the support of government of Republic of South Sudan, the State government of Jonglei and NPA for the successful implementation of rural livelihood programs in the country during our struggle for freedom and now at this critical moment of the young nation,” said Atem.

South Sudan became independent in July as part of a peace deal with north Sudan.

Samuel Deng the NPA Agriculture Project coordinator in Jonglei state said NPA has trained 400 farmers on crop husbandry and supplied 9.53 metric tons of assorted seeds and 64.3kg of assorted vegetable seeds to farmers in Pochalla county in 2011.

“We also trained two fishing groups in improved fish preservation methods and six community based agriculture extension workers at Yei Agriculture training center,” said Deng.

He added that the objective of the agricultural project is to develop the capacity of farmers by providing training and tools to the local community, internally displaced persons and returnees in Jonglei state.

“The project trains farmers on improved methods of crop husbandry, ox-plough technology at the farmer training center and County agriculture offices.

“The farmer training centers act as demonstration sites for improved farming methods and seeds multiplication on farm trail and demos are conducted by with farmer promoters and outreach groups at their own farms.

“We started our intervention in Pochalla county in 2010 and that year trained 200 farmers in crop husbandry, supported the formation of 20 outreach groups, provided vegetable seeds to farmers trained four community based agriculture extension workers at Yei Agriculture Training center and constructed three agriculture offices in Pochalla County,” said Deng.

(ST)