By Yang Ater Yang
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) delegations accompanied by Lakes State government officials paid an inspection visit to Shea butter and honey production small business enterprises in Wulu County on Thursday.
The head of delegations who is the USAID deputy chief for political and economic affairs in Juba, John Dunham told the media that the purpose of the courtesy mission to Rumbek was to visit small business enterprises producing Shea butter and honey supported by USAID and FAO in Lakes State Wulu County.
“I am very happy to meet with honey and Shea butter producers and to see all their products,” he said.
Dunham said the enterprises is the kind of business which is very important for future economic development of South Sudan. “It is a small enterprise like this that will bring prosperity to the country,” he said.
“We had a chance to visit small business enterprises that produce honey and Shea butter and this project is supported by USAID and UNFAO as a part of sustainable agriculture for economic resiliency activity in Lakes State to improve value change and benefit 700 producers in 23 farmers,” he noted.
He said it is especially gratifying to see the successful enterprises who are producing quality honey and Shea butter products that are made in South Sudan.
“The success is small but the Enterprise at the grassroot is essential to the country’s economic prosperity,” he said.
Dunham said the United States remains committed in supporting efforts to promote prosperity, democracy, good governance and peace in South Sudan.
For her part, Mary Ayor Barnaba, the chief administrator for Shea butter and honey production in Wulu County appealed to USAID and UNFAO partners to provide chemicals for soaps and Shea nut processing machines to producers in Wulu County.
“We appeal to UNFAO to supply us with chemicals to help in production of soaps” she urged.
Ayor said Lulu oil has different function in which grade A is made as body lotions, and grade B is made for consumptions and grade C is made as a soap.
She added that there is nothing you can throw away from any honey products because all of them is money.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Cooperatives and Rural Development in Lakes State, Philip Taban Chir said the USAID, FAO delegations’ visit to Wulu and Rumbek Central counties, Shea butter and honey production sites will bring great hopes to the enterprises’ groups.
He underlined the challenges raised by the honey and Shea butter producers as lack of processing machines and market for the product supply.