Jonglei aims to increase farm production
March 23, 2013 (BOR) – Jonglei state’s minister of agriculture and forestry, Mayen Ngor, has pledged that his ministry is preparing to introduce measures to increase agricultural production this year.
The ministry will prioritise “strengthening institutional capacity” and to coordinate all activities in agriculture sectors, he said.
This year, Ngor said, the government of South Sudan has given agriculture a higher priority as an alternative driver of economic growth. South Sudan shutdown oil production last year as a result of a transit fee dispute with Sudan, resulting in the loss on 98% of government revenue.
“In 2013 we have a very strong strategy goal and objectives so that our people realise agriculture projects, programmes and productions so that we improve food production, food security, health and have good nitration and income,” Ngor told the press in Bor on Saturday.
The minister said that 90 percent of the people in South Sudan’s rural areas depend on farming. Food production needs to increase, he said, to also supply food to people living in towns.
Despite vast areas of arable land South Sudan has to import much of its food.
The ministry of agriculture and forestry has recruited and deployed personnel to Jonglei’s counties to help farmers increase the productivity of their farms, the minister said.
“They are to go where the farmers are at the Bomas [sub-district] level and at the farms level so that they can change the attitudes and skills so that the farmers produce well in 2013,” Ngor said.
Every county in Jonglei state has 26 extension workers and agriculturalists, holding degrees or diplomas, according to the minister.
“As I am taking to you now they are sensitising and mobilising all the stockholders in the counties”, he said.
“They have now organised themselves into three clusters together with the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) staff who are technically supporting state ministry of agriculture,” he continued.
He said they have one team in greater Fangak, a second team in greater Akobo and the third team in greater Bor. Next they will take the programme to Pibor, Boma and Pochalla.
(ST)