By Hou Akot Hou
At least 496 farmers in Aweil South County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state received farming implements, specifically Ox ploughs, earlier this week.
The Ox ploughs were donated by World Vision International.
Andre Akok, one of the farmers, stated that they have formed cooperatives in the county and have been encouraged to live in groups.
This structure ensures they receive monitoring and support from the Ministry of Agriculture.
“We are glad to have received the ox ploughs, as Aweil South County has a lot of farmland suitable for agriculture, especially for subsistence farming. We are eager to use the farming implements collectively to maximize the production of sorghum, sesame, and groundnuts during the rainy season,” Akok stated.
“Previously, people would hire ox ploughs, but we intend to emphasize the importance of training the oxen to pull the ploughs. This will help us move away from hand cultivation, which is less efficient. Training sessions have already been conducted,” he noted.
He also expressed their gratitude to World Vision International for donating the ox ploughs and cautioned beneficiaries against selling their equipment to outsiders.
Joseph Akuei, the county director for Agriculture, praised the initiative by international organizations and urged local farmers to take advantage of this opportunity to reduce poverty that has long affected their families.
He also advised those interested in joining the cooperatives to do so quickly, as this would enable them to be added to the list of individuals who will receive training in ox plough cultivation.
The director revealed that a fee of 200,000 SSP was required from each beneficiary by the organization, which will be set aside for the maintenance and repair of the machines as needed.