Jonglei state launches sale of over 25,000 tree seedlings
August 21, 2015(BOR) – The government of South Sudan’s Jonglei state has officially launched the sale of over 25,000 tree seedlings of different types to members of the public in what it described as a major step to reduce deforestation practices in the state.
“The community of Jonglei state and its neighbors need agroforestry extension service, and that is why Jonglei state came up with this nursery. That is why we went in to plant these trees, ranging from fruits, shelterbelt and shade trees and all the ornamentals that are used in the public and private institutions,” said Ngor.
“They can be planted along the roads and avenues”, added the state agriculture minister.
The nursery, established in February, has over 30,000 seedlings of fruits and ornaments.
The ministry of agriculture, officials disclosed, has a plan to open other nurseries in the counties to supply villagers with the much-needed seedlings. The village farmers were said to have been organised, trained and supported to plant trees in their home states.
“We will be able to empower those farmers, we will be able to talk to them, we will be train them and eventually they will take over. They will be the ones to do this job”, said Ngor.
“We can have a central nursery in the county, then the payam will have its own nursery and then each boma will have its small nursery. So here, in the whole of the state, we will be able to solve the issue of deforestation, we will be able to solve the problem of land degradation”, he added.
The minister described the nursery bed project as the main connector for all aid agencies working in the areas of food security as well as for the state government.
“This nursery is the one that connects the main stakeholders of food security, the NGOs, the national cooperation and the ministry of agriculture and forestry and the farmers, and also the learning institutions”, stressed the minister.
The nursery project has been supported by the Korean contingency, an army section serving as peacekeepers at the United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) special Jonglei Food Security Program (JFSP).
They [Koreans] gave us the shade, we really give them a big hand clap. Also give a big clap to CRS Jonglei Food Security program (JFSP), that gave us teak timbers and iron sheets to rehabilitate the fence, and this is the work of JFSP”, said Ngor.
Deng Aguer, speaker of the state assembly said he would be among the first agents to start buying and planting trees at his home.
“Let us start as officials, let us plant trees at homes and along the roads, I will be one of the agents to plant trees. Bearing the situation of our town, let us make our homes, our town to be attractive to us. If anyone takes one, it will be visible to the rest”, he said.
The state deputy governor, Baba Medan, said government was ready to beautify the capital Bor.
“We in the government of Jonglei state, from day one, our vision is very clear, we need to build this state, and make it a better place for the people of Jonglei state, and the people of South Sudan in general”, Baba said.
In this year’s Jonglei state government budget, the nursery project is expected to generate at least 150,000 South Sudanese Pounds (approximately $47,318) when all the sales go as planned. Each seedling of any type was being sold at SSP 5 (about $1.6).
(ST)