By Hou Akot Hou
Officials from the national Ministry of Agriculture, are touring Aweil Rice scheme, a national project.
Led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ms. Lily Albino Akol, the visit aims to assess last year’s rice harvest and understand new challenges to increase production as part of the effort to combat food insecurity.
The strategy was discussed by national ministry officials and partners, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO).
Last year, 1,000 hectares were identified for the scheme to help address the food crisis in the State.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture told journalists upon her arrival that they went to the state to oversee a project funded by the African Development Bank (ADB), which was launched in three locations: Aweil Town, Aweil East, and Aweil South counties.
Ms. Akol stated that they came to evaluate the project’s outcomes and announced that they had received additional funding from the ADB.
“We have secured new funding of 11 million dollars from the ADB. This money will be used to develop an irrigation scheme for other farming activities and improve the channels leading to the rice scheme site,” she revealed.
Additionally, Akol indicated that they would meet with local rice farmers to discuss how to ensure the project’s success in growth and production.
She emphasized the need to address the challenges faced by the project to coordinate efforts with partners such as UN FAO and ADB, thereby restoring the viability and effectiveness of farming in the rice scheme.