By James Innocent
Farmers in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State, have pledged to intensify their efforts to fight hunger and boost the local economy, despite facing numerous challenges.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2016, farmers in the region have struggled with a variety of issues, including security concerns, lack of agricultural tools, limited access to capital, and poor road infrastructure that hinders their ability to reach broader markets.
Nathalino Lasuba, a young farmer who also serves as a soldier and a military officer, has pledged to supply citizens with tons of food to combat hunger in the area.
Lasuba acknowledges the persistent challenges, such as insecurity, lack of farming tools, poor roads, and the absence of capacity-building training programs for farmers.
“I promise to boost agriculture this year by supplying citizens with food as a way of fighting hunger, despite the numerous challenges we are facing, especially the issues of insecurity, lack of farming tools, poor roads that can link our businesses to outside markets, and the lack of capacity-building training for all farmers,” Lasuba said. “I am struggling without any specific skills in farming, but I am improving, better than the skilled people.”
Lasuba urges citizens to stop being idle and to actively participate in agriculture to combat hunger, rather than relying solely on humanitarian aid and government support.
He also calls on the government to provide farmers with tractors and other essential tools to help boost the local economy.
Another farmer, Joseph Juma Benzemin, who owns over 12 hectares of land with a ready maize harvest, believes that if the government can provide security for citizens engaged in farming and allow them to access rural areas, hunger will no longer be a problem, and the economy will flourish.
Juma hopes that the year 2024 will be a remarkable year for South Sudan if the government prioritizes and supports the agricultural sector, rather than focusing on areas that do not generate income for the nation, which often leads to conflicts.