7,305 newly-trained farmers join South Sudan’s battle against hunger; proudly exhibit bountiful harvest this year
‘‘After World Vision’s training that spanned three years, we are now able to stand on our own feet. The graduation signals our readiness and for World Vision to expand support to other farmers in neighboring communities’’, says Majook Deng, the chairperson of Rumrol Farmers Group.
The extensive training program, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and other partners, comprised of good agriculture practices, establishment of demonstration farms where farmers can learn together and envisioning business ideas.
Built from World Vision’s existing integration model between Food for Assets (FFA) and the Fortifying Equality and Economic Diversity for Resilience (FEED) II projects, 7,305 farmers, 5,140 of them women, proudly marched for their graduation ceremony this month.
The areas for this farmers program was focused in Aweil East and Aweil North counties of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State. The training included business development skills to help develop their entrepreneurial abilities, and help boost economic activities in their own communities.
A massive production display of 725 bags, at 100 kilograms each, of groundnuts, with additional 154 bags generated from the nearby Kuel demo plot harvest, showed the farmers’ combined commitment towards self-reliance and independence from free hand-outs.
We look forward to continue as a partner of choice and tackle next level challenges such as building community-based storage facilities and establish market linkages.
Project Coordinator Alier Deng shares, “This is a great milestone toward achieving excellence in food production and resilience.” It is indeed a time for celebration as the country endures the debilitating impact of food insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic and heavy flooding in many areas that worsened the people’s capacity to produce food.
A WFP report highlighted the growing hunger crisis in South Sudan that has reached the “most extreme levels since independence in 2011”. It further stated that “the situation remains dire across the country as almost 7 million people - 60 percent of the population are struggling to find enough food each day.”
Deng adds, “World Vision and the farmers acknowledge the support of WFP and partners to make this project a success. We look forward to continue as a partner of choice and tackle next level challenges such as building community-based storage facilities and establish market linkages.”
Story and photos by Alier Deng and the BGeG Zonal Program Team.