South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
Vegetable farmers in Rejaf East suburb of Juba on Wednesday received a tractor from the International Trade Centre to boost production.
Thomas Gore, a 34 –year-old farmer growing water melon, okra and tomatoes said the tractor will help in opening up large tracts of land for vegetable production.
Gore who ploughs two acres of land has been hiring workers to support him since 2018, but he now hopes the tractor will relieve this burden.
He said that he earns about three million South Sudan Pounds in single harvest season, adding that the money has enabled him to pay school fees for his five children.
“With this tractor, I will really increase the farming acreage; at least I can reach to three acres,” Gore told The Dawn during a visit to his farm.
Pius Second Alim, the national consultant for the International Trade Centre supervising the growing of vegetables and fruits in Rajaf East, said the tractor will increase the production capacity of farmers.
”Since the start of the project, I have been with the farmers here, the impact of the tractor will mainly lead to sustainability and higher production of vegetables and fruits,” said Alim.
Alim said they are providing technical support to about 1,200 farmers in the area.
In addition, he disclosed that farmers face challenges such as insecurity, pests and diseases, lack of fertilizers and poor road network.
“With the presence of the tractor right now, there will be an increase in production because they are going to expand their areas of production and somebody who made good harvest may earn 15 million SSP,” he said.
Samuel Gideon Jubara, the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry in Central Equatoria State said they plan to train 1000 tractor operators across the State in a bid to boost commercial farming in Rejaf, Luri and Aru junction.
“We have a policy to make the State food secure, we encourage small scale farmers to increase production and new technology must be applied,” he said.
The beneficiaries are from four cooperative societies such as Allah Jabu, Nyeng Kopiong and Wange in Rejaf East.
