On Monday morning, March 31st, 2025, while scrolling through my Facebook feed, a video of Kenya’s President William Ruto touring his farm caught my attention.
Driving a tractor alongside his wife and aide, he stated, “A nation that can’t feed itself can’t claim independence.” That moment stirred something in me. His words were more than just a statement, they were a challenge, a reminder, and a lesson.
I am personally glad that South Sudan’s economic cluster, led by Vice President Bol Mel, is finally giving serious attention to agriculture. While it is still too early to measure impact, acknowledging agriculture as a priority is a commendable step. So let’s start by appreciating this bold move that calls our people back to the land.
This effort is more than just a farming campaign, it is a movement to restore dignity, create livelihoods, and build peace from the grassroots. When people are engaged in farming, it reduces idleness, lessens communal tensions, and strengthens local economies. A well-fed nation is a stable nation.
But we must remain vigilant, and now is the time to ensure that the committee entrusted with this task stays focused on delivery. The goal is simple but urgent, empower ordinary South Sudanese, especially smallholder farmers, with tools, knowledge, and market access. Empty declarations will not do, what we need is visible, measurable action with the people at the center.
This brings us to a broader conversation about importation and local production. If we are serious about economic revival, we must begin phasing out the importation of basic goods, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, even eggs and chicken, and invest in our own food systems. We are a nation blessed with fertile land that remains underutilized.
Continued reliance on imports, many of which are substandard or expired, poses health risks and drains our economy (The Radio Community, 2024). Economists and policy analysts alike have cautioned that short-term food subsidies won’t solve our food crisis. Instead, investment in agriculture offers a lasting solution. Agriculture creates jobs, reduces poverty, and ensures long-term food security (Africa Press, 2024). This is no longer just about food, it’s about sovereignty. A country that cannot feed itself cannot claim full independence.
The government’s launch of the National Export and Investment Strategy is a good sign (UN South Sudan, 2024), but strategy alone is not enough. Implementation must focus on people first and be informed by grassroots realities.
As a citizen and a strong-willed advocate for peace and economic transformation, I respectfully urge the economic cluster to prioritize the following:
• Invest in agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation, storage facilities, and rural roads. This will ease access to markets and reduce post-harvest losses. With time, farming could even become a path to peace, as more citizens would channel their energy toward food production rather than conflict.
• Ensure access to quality inputs, including seeds, tools, and fertilizers. Development partners such as UNFAO, World Bank, and African Development Bank could be instrumental in helping smallholder farmers scale their efforts.
• Strengthen training and extension services, equipping farmers with modern techniques for sustainable agriculture.
South Sudan is not short of fertile soil, nor are we short of hardworking citizens. What we lack is a bold and consistent national commitment to invest in the things that sustain us.
We must move away from temporary fixes and start treating agriculture as the heart of our economy. Food is not just a basic need, it is a foundation for peace, dignity, and sovereignty.
Let us grow what we eat, feed our nation, and reclaim our independence, and not just politically, but economically.