By Yiep Joseph
South Sudan’s exhibitors at the ongoing 24th East African Community (EAC) trade fair, have appealed for increase in support from the home government.
The Managing Director of South Sudan Hunger Fighters and Agricultural Cooperation Society (SSHFAC), Emmanuel Majok said inadequate government support to domestic entrepreneurs remains a challenge to innovation and industrialization.
SSHFAC is a cooperative society in South Sudan that deals with the empowerment of local producers, such as farmers. The group is among participants in the ongoing 24th EAC Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) trade fair, which runs from October 26th to November 5th 2024, in Juba.
However, South Sudan’s domestic producers and traders at the exhibition expressed their plight for more support from their home government.
According to Majok, many farmers have interest to engage in commercial agriculture but are discouraged due to limited support.
“Our farmers are committed; you see those honey in containers were harvested by them, and we help to package to meet world standards. We are ready for innovation; what we lack is enough support from our government,” Majok said.
The trade fair that aims at promoting trade, investment, and economic growth within the region and globally has attracted over 1500 exhibitors from the eight EAC member states.
Unlike their counterparts from the bloc, Majok noted that entrepreneurs from South Sudan can not compete favourably as they are strained by many factors.
“When you see our colleagues from other EAC countries, I think they receive enough support from their home government, and we need such support for us to encourage many entrepreneurs and producers,” he said.
Considering the abundance of potential resources in the country that could propel growth, Majok appeals to the government to support domestic entrepreneurs in order to promote trade and improve the economy.
“We have resources; we need support from the government so that we produce enough that can be consumed worldwide,” he said.
SSHFAC Managing Director appreciates domestic producers for their commitment to viable amidst several challenges in the country.
Meanwhile, Dorine Apia is one of the indigenous exhibitors and a producer of perfumes. She noted that South Sudan women are determined to produce standard perfumes, but they lack enough support.
“We have the best perfume; our EAC colleagues here are enjoying it and even buying it, but we lack support from our government so that we build factories like what they have in Egypt,” she said.
“We need more support in form of funds and training so that we modernise our production and packaging,” Apia said.
She added that South Sudanese women produced a variety of tastes of perfumes that, when supported, could create a brand for the country.
“We produce many types of perfumes; if the government supports us, we shall one day be known for being a producer of a certain type of perfume that can only be in our country, we shall package it well and send it to the rest of the world,” she added.
Mose Lasu, who displayed a distinct locally made clothing style, necklaces, and shoes, is another domestic exhibitor, raising South Sudan’s production flag amidst economic crises.
He stresses challenges facing young entrepreneurs in the country, who always seek support but with little success.
“We as youth who are interested in innovation and entrepreneurship always knock on doors for support, but what we get is little; it cannot encourage innovation nor encourage more young entrepreneurs,” he said.
Lasu calls on the government to support the young people in order to be more productive and initiate avenues to get wealth either within or in the region.
Lasu calls on the EAC member countries to support South Sudan to turn local initiatives into industrialization that can surface in the East Africa Community.
For Jacob Del, there is need for the government to provide both skills training and financial support to the producers and traders in the country.
He believes that the available materials in the country could be turned into opportunities to embark on industrialization.
“We have all that industrialization needs, like materials; what we lack is the support to produce on a large scale and manufacture standard products, we need government to be committed and even plan so that we have our own factories that refine our crude oil,” he said.
He called on the government to increase budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Trade in order to support domestic producers and traders.
Maba Alex, one of the domestic exhibitors cited several government pledges made during public speeches to support production and industrialization, but have not been unfulfilled.
“They (the government) always promise to support local reproducers, but there is no action. By the time they support, we shall be able to send our products to be consumed in other countries,” he said.
Given adequate support, Mabe anticipates that entrepreneurs in the country would offer high-quality products in the market to compete with others on better grounds.
“In most cases, we provide raw materials or products of low quality, but I hope if we get support, we shall have industries here and we shall produce what the world needs; we shall not only be known for having oil,” he said.
Speaking at the opening of the trade fair, South Sudan’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Joseph Moum Majak promised to support local producers and traders in order to encourage industrialization and innovation in the country.
He expressed government’s commitment to strengthen local producers in order to produce quality products that can be consumed globally.