FAO calls on S. Sudan to address food security issues

November 23, 2013 (BENTIU) –The United Nation Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called on government officials and its partners to roll out a national programme aimed at boosting the food security of locals.

Speaking at a workshop in the Unity state capital of Bentiu, Rajendra Aryol, deputy head of FAO, said his organisation is supporting locals with seeds and agricultural tools nationwide to improve their food security.

“FAO has been supporting different set of activities; we have relief and recovery activities where we support conflict-affected people, the internally displaced people, the host family, the returnees, even the refugees with agricultures tools such as seeds and fertilizer”, said Aryol.

Aryo said there is a need to diversify livelihood sources for communities in South Sudan.

“At the moment we are working together with other development partners and with the government to build resilience, so what I would suggest to the state government is not only protecting crop assets but also diversifying livelihood so if a disaster happens you know people can quickly recover”, he said.

Under the food information system, FAO will deploy officials in the country to collect information and data and share it will local farmers.
It says information and data is a vital tool in laying the foundations of a food secure nation.

South Sudan has seen a reoccurrence of flooding in recent months, which has a severe impact on agricultural output.

Botino Malual Kok, director-general in the state ministry of animals, resources and fisheries, said the project will put the government in a better position to plan for and address food security issues.

“This project will help us as the government to promote and to give all data [to the] information system so that if there is any food insecurity in the state [we can act]”, said Kok.

“We sit as the government with the partners, specially FAO, so that we can analyse this information so that we can give a better decision for food security to be sustained in our state”, he added.

Kok said South Sudan has the fertile land needed for food security.

“We have the land as the resources and our problem is how to utilise that land. With the partners’ collaboration we will sit and then we will form some association for the farmers, [and] through this association farmers can be supported by these NGOs by giving them tools, so that they can cultivate and to generate income for their household”, Kok said.

FAO says poor roads across the country is among the major challenges facing the implementation of a food information system.

(ST)