Jonglei governor declares mass farming in the state

April 8, 2017 (BOR) – To improve livelihoods of the people, alienate poverty and prevent looming famine, the governor of South Sudan’s Jonglei state on Friday declared mass farming for all the people.

The state governor, Philip Aguer was addressing parliament during the reopening of the state assembly after months on recess.

Thousands of people in Bor now rely on World Food Program for unconditional food normally distributed in Mingkaman of Awerial county. Many still suffer from hunger and poverty in villages.

To combat hunger and poverty, the government urged the state population to embark on farming so as to reduce the hunger gap.

“For us to increase our production, to combat hunger and poverty, I am again declaring that every family from governor to a worker here in Jonglei must have a farm this year and I am instructing all the commissioners from Bor, Twic and Duk counties to provide agriculture land for government officials for farming,” Aguer said.

Jonglei state government farm of more 1,000 hectares did not produce enough last year, due to irregularities in the rain patterns.

However, the state governor remains optimistic that agriculture production will help reduce the poverty catastrophe in the region.

“In the area of agriculture, the challenges of heavy rains and birds had watered down the efforts of our hard-working farmers from Kolnyang to Duk in the last seasons”, he said.

Aguer also instructed the minister of agriculture to make sure that each person secures a farm and supervises farming activities. Last year, many people cultivated crops, but their outcomes were destroyed by different, pests, birds and floods.

Insecurity caused by raiders and child abductors from Murle remains a challenge to the low crop production, which the two state governments want to address through peaceful dialogue.

(ST)