Dr Wani Igga roots for agriculture in war against hunger
The Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr James Wani Igga, said the government is prioritising agriculture as a tool to suppress hunger.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the new office block for the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), Igga called on the citizens to embark on agriculture for increased food production across the country.
“FAO has promoted the right to food as a human right, guaranteed in the constitution. Comprehensive livestock, fisheries, and aquaculture are structured already. Disparities in land access are one of the major causes of social and gender inequalities,” Dr Igga said.
“And in South Sudan, I must add that our women are the most deprived in this regard, on access to land.”
The national minister for agriculture and food security, Josephine Lagu, noted that only 4 per cent of arable land is cultivated in South Sudan.
“The inauguration of the new building is yet another strong testimony in this country, and we put it to the recognition of peace,” Josephine Lagu said.
The representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, said it was imperative to increase food production.
Meshack Malo, the FAO country representative, pledged cooperation between the ministry of agriculture and food security and FAO to fight malnutrition.
Agriculture had been seen to be spreading tentacles across the country as projects have recently been launched in many states.
On May 21, 2022, the governor of Lakes State, Rin Tueny Mabor, launched a farm in Wulu County as the leading project of his agriculture policy of “Agriculture for All for Food” in the state.
He noted that it will enable the state to feed itself and stop dependence on humanitarian aid from July 2022.
Governor Rin declared Friday as a cultivation day during the agricultural season, so that people would be working from Monday to Thursday.
A similar project was also launched in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, by Governor Tong Akeen Ngor, under the theme “Let every household cultivate at least five fedan to eradicate hunger.”
The project was organized by the state ministry of agriculture and Aweil Rice Scheme, as the governor urged citizens to start cultivating early to be safe from the dangers of climate change.
He called on the state ministry of agriculture to distribute tractors to counties prioritizing common citizens, then government officials and constitutional post holders later.
