South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
South Sudan’s cereal production is set to increase from the previous 1 million metric tons in 2023 to 1.1 million metric tons in 2024, according to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
“One of the important thing to realize is that South Sudan is not a homogeneous society, in fact there is a feeling that South Sudanese are fed by food aid, no, last year in 2023 South Sudan produced about 1 million metric tons of food,’ said Meshack Malo, the Country Representative of FAO in South Sudan during press conference held on Wednesday in Juba.
He disclosed that the common cereal crops grown in South Sudan include sorghum, maize, millet, rice, and wheat, adding that they are supporting farmers with necessary tools to boost production this year.
“For the first time in 2023, South Sudan hit the 1 million metric tons and that is why we feel and we are convinced as FAO. There is a group of South Sudanese including teachers and journalists that now need to produce for the market,” he said.
He said that the 1 million metric tons was produced only from 4 percent of the land, adding that this could increase to cover 8 or 10 percent of the land if the young people embrace agriculture.
Malo said that there are enormous untapped opportunities in agriculture which the youths could take advantage of to improve their livelihoods and boost the country’s economy.
“The missing gap in order for us to do the other 4 percent so that we reach 8 0r 10 percent of the land is the young people, if the young people can come to the land South Sudan will exit from food aid, and that’s why we are looking at all the segments, we are looking at the fisher men, some farmers,” he disclosed.
He said the youngest nation should increase its production every year.
“So we hope that we don’t slip back to below a million metric tons, but if we can hit 1.1, I will sleep a very happy night,” Malo said.
