Lakes State officials in partnership with community farmers groups, UN Agencies and humanitarian agencies have gathered in South Sudan’s Lakes State to mark the World Food Day.
The agencies urged community about frightening hunger that need collective work! to implement Agricultural policies for food security.
The event, held under the theme “HAND in HAND for better Food and a better future ,” took place at Rumbek Freedom Square.
Minister of Agriculture Environment and Foresties Poth Majak Dhaljang, said the world food day being celebrated in the world and also in the republic of South Sudan and it was relocated to Lakes State in 2022.
He said this year it has been located to other State which is Jongeli State.
“But, the government of Lakes and our partners. We have decided to celebrate this important day in Lakes State. It is important for us the farmers because we are transitioning from emergency to the development and from dependency to food production, when you see the production of food, yhis is the harvest of our main food production starting from groundnut, and vegetables”. He said
He said the farmers who came are not only the farmers in Lakes State or in the counties of Lakes.
“These are the farmers among many farmers we have selected to come and showcase their products and this is a good gesture and we are appealing to our central government. We are appealing to our donors, to our partners to continue supporting our farmers in improving the food production. I want to acknowledge the contribution and support of our partners. The UN agencies, UN Food, UNFAO, World food program, UNMISS and our international partners AVASI, the NPA , Plan international, CRS and national NGOs IGAD, peace Canal among other partners.” He added
He said our farmers are being challenged by the number of factors and one of them is a climate change that we have and you could see we have been affected because most of our farms have destroyed and submerged by the flood.
He said other challenges facing our farmers are farming tools and you could see and the few have been purchased by our partners.
“You could see some of the oxplough being provided by UNFOA as award to the best performing cooperatives and counties and these are the few oxplough we have “.
He these are the gesture for other partners to follow the foot steps of what UNFOA have started.
He said challenges are many but with team works we could overcome and we appreciate the support of our government in Lakes State as food security sector to the farmers of Lakes State.
The UNFAO head of field office in Rumbek, Hannington Sebaduka said the theme of this year is hand in hand for better food for better future.
He said the better food comes from the product that you can see here.
” The better products and variety and also the productivity that we have worked together with development partners to increase at the grassroots level together for better future. We are looking for the standard, the quality that you have seen here “, he said. ” We believe the private sector and market are center for our ability in transforming Agri food system.”
He said to achieve this requires a State collaboration between the State government and different partners to work together during this preparation and even in the development stage.”I want to thank all the development partners such as UNMISS, UN WFP, UNICEF and other
development like plan international, NPA and many others”.
He said make sure our partners have not given up when we called them even in a short time notice.