By Hou Akot Hou
Farmers in Aweil South County of Northern Bahr El Gazal state have shifted from sorghum to rice farming in order to convert flood water for agricultural benefit.
Partners, supporting agricultural projects in the state have mapped out the mitigative initiative against losses when farms are submerged in floods, like last year.
This week, Farmers Lives Development Association (FLDA), a national organization has been helping the those who have 31 feddans, mainly for rice, under the imitative.
According to FLDA project officer, Dominic Deng Wol, farmers from Nyoc-awany Payam in Aweil South County are the major beneficiaries of the initiative,
Deng said, under the support of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), the project has been aiding farmers with seeds and trainings.
However, due to destruction of other crop varieties by floods, last year, the rice imitative was born to mitigate future losses that could discourage farmers.
FLDA field officer said they have urged farmers to engage in rice farming as the county is prone to flooding.
“The organization that I am working for in collaboration with the UNFAO, have shifted to rice farming instead of sorghum” he stated
Aweil South County is waterlogged, low-lying area, which is very important for rice cultivation.
As most of the farmers expressed happiness for the initiative of shifting to rice plantation, Deng Garang said they are looking forward to getting bumper produce.
“Last year, we planted sorghum but this year, as we have planted rice, we hope that the initiative will be helpful enough as most parts of our feddans are prone to flood” said Garang.
It remains to be seen how the new farming strategy will help Aweil south county.