By Ijoo Bosco
South Sudan’s national minister of agriculture, Mrs. Josephine Lagu, has stated that the Eastern Equatoria state can produce enough food to feed the entire East African region, despite relying on neighbors.
She highlighted the state’s potential to produce enough food to feed the entire East African region, despite the need for food security.
The minister addressed the World Food Day and Agriculture Show, under the theme, “water in life, food, leave no one behind.”
The state is selected to host World Food Day, marking the tenth year, to promote innovation and market linkages.
Lagu emphasized the importance of boosting the production and productivity of key crops like sorghum, maize, rice, sesame and groundnuts with international partners and donors.
“To achieve this threshold, we need to identify progressive farmers, private sector producers, and farmers groups and encourage them to increase their cultivation area coverage such that within five years South Sudan will be self-sufficient in these selected crops,” she stressed.
She also called for progressive farmers and private-sector producers to increase cultivation area coverage to achieve self-sufficiency within five years.
Onyoti Adigothe state minister of livestock urges South Sudanese to collaborate for development, ensuring laws guide farmers and pastoralist activities.
Meanwhile, the State Agriculture and Environment Minister Placid Kuks Komakech seeks support for climate mitigation programs, mass tree planting, and urging the World Bank to support Eastern Equatoria State, particularly in roads for food production and supply.