By Ngor Deng Matem
The government of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State has pledged support in form of incentives to local farmers in Aweil towards curbing food insecurity through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
State Governor, Tong Aken made the statement while speaking during a launch of agriculture under the theme “Let every household cultivate at least five feddan to eradicate hunger”.
The Governor said, his government has emphasized the needs to prioritize support for local farmers.
He also encouraged the farmers to immediately start crop plantation to avoid the effects of climate change.
“The priorities of tractors must be given to common citizens to cultivate first, thereafter the government officials and the constitutional post holders shall follow,” Governor Tong said.
Meanwhile, the State Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Anei Deng Anei revealed that there are ten tractors for cultivation.
He has also encouraged farmers across the state to begin cultivating this month of May.
“We have repaired ten tractors and they will be assigned in five counties. Each county will have two tractors and shall be used by the subsistence farmers,” Anei said.
“The plantation of crops must start in order to avoid effects of flooding and heavy rainfalls which starts in August. The effects of climate change need strategies to be placed so that people can produce enough food,” Anei added.
However, the Minister said that farmers will be required to pay some unspecified amount of money as part of cultivation fees for the maintenance.
He said, the amount will be determined once distribution of tractors is done.
Farmers in Aweil have commended the initiative of the government, but doubted the implementation of giving out tractors to farmers, and not government post holders and senior government officials.
Ajing Garang Amet, a farmer in the community expressed his doubts in the implementation of the initiative, saying it has not been the first time for the local farmers to be deceived. “It is what they say every year but they do not implement it. It is always hard for a mere citizen who is willing to cultivate because the big people or leaders usually take charge of the tractors. The citizens usually opt to business tractors,” said Ajing.