South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr. James Wani Igga, on Thursday encouraged pastoralists to commercialize livestock sector in order to boost productivity in the sector.
Speaking during the opening of the edition of the Juba Economic Forum on Thursday, Wani said that the number of livestock in the country nearly exceeds the population of South Sudan.
Wani said that each citizen could be entitled to two cows if livestock was to be distributed across the country.
He called on men to also engage in farming in order to reduce cattle raiding and communal violence.
“We need to reduce the gap between men and women farmers, although in most cases we men have dodged most of the work, and we leave it to women,” said Wani.
“They say no men should be for cattle raiding men and should be for conflict between communities, and in the process we are finishing ourselves,” he disclosed.
For her part, Josephine Joseph Lagu, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security called on donors and development partners to invest in agriculture to boost food production in the country.
“Agriculture has the potential to employ millions of South Sudanese by investing in commercial farming, agro-processing, and agribusinesses,” said Lagu.
She said South Sudan has the potential to become the breadbasket of the region due to it’s vast fertile swathes of land.
“So having robust agriculture sector will ensure that South Sudan can feed itself by increasing production and improving post-harvest handling. We can reduce food imports, lower food prices, and improve nutrition for all,” said Lagu.
Stephen Lado, the Central Equatoria State Minister of Trade who spoke on behalf of the Governor of Central Equatoria State, said the forum will discuss issues related to promoting commercial agriculture as a pathway towards economic stability.
