By Yang Ater Yang
Government of Lakes State in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, has distributed agricultural inputs to over 15,000 individuals.
Abraham Madit, a beneficiary in Rumbek East County, expressed his gratitude to the FAO for providing vegetable seeds, fishing nets, and hoes to the community.
He, however, noted that the vegetable seeds were supposed to have been distributed earlier, as crops like maize and sorghum are best planted in May and June for an early harvest.
“These seeds when they are planted early, they can be harvested early. The same thing to sorghum, and beans”, he said.
Another beneficiary from Rumbek East, Yom Makoi, said she received sorghum, maize, beans, Sukumawiki, fishing nets, and hoes.
She was elated to receive these essential items, which will contribute to her livelihood.
William Mading, FAO officer in charge of the distribution, thanked the state government for the joint visit.
He explained that the FAO is implementing a resilience project in Rumbek East County to help alleviate economic crises in South Sudan. The project includes disaster preparedness and response, as well as the distribution of seeds and fishing kits.
“Disaster preparedness and response is also a component of this project. We gave out some key messages to the farmers on best they should do, should there be a flood,” he said.
Mading noted that FAO has targeted four counties in Lakes State for direct implementation of the project: Rumbek East, Rumbek Center, Cueibet, and Wulu.
The remaining four counties, Awerial, Yirol West, Cueibet, and Yirol East, have been assigned to partner organizations such as Norwegian People’s Aid.
“We have up to 15,600 households in this project in the whole Lakes State but in Rumbek East, our target is 3,000 households and my last message to the community outside there, FAO and the state government are here to get rid of hunger,” he said.
For his part, the state Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry in Lakes State, Poth Majak Daljang, emphasized the importance of agriculture as a priority for the government.
He stated that the distribution of seeds and tools is part of the state’s efforts to increase food production and address hunger.
“We also come to supplement the areas that are not cultivated that they use the available seeds provided by UNFAO and that’s why we have come to visit these areas,” he said.
“The distribution started earlier but this is a group that has chosen to come and share some of the experience with them and also to give them some technical support such that they increase food production in this year, 2024.”
Daljang also highlighted the need to raise awareness about the impending flood season and the importance of shifting to higher ground to avoid the impact.
He stressed the importance of using distributed quick-maturing seeds to cope with the effects of climate change.