Manut farm in Marial-Bai County. (Courtesy).

Former Western Bahr el Ghazal State politician-turned-farmer Santino Manut Akec has appealed for machinery to expand his groundnut farm which reportedly employs over 80 workers.

65-year-old Manut, the former commissioner of defunct Marial-Bai County has cultivated 510 hectares of groundnut and 215 hectares of sorghum, this season.

The farm located 30 kilometers north of Wau town has been supplying groundnuts, sorghum, sesame, beans, and maize to humanitarian organizations.

On Monday, the former Marial-Bai commissioner invited reporters to his farm to have a first-hand account of his activities.

“This year, we cultivated 510 hectors of groundnut and 215 hectors of sorghum, I called these journalists to witness so that our people can see and follow the same work of food production,” he said speaking at the site.

“I have 85 workers on my farms, I used to feed them, be responsible for their children all and this main my farm is small in a situation like a minister that provides works opportunities to the people.”

Mr. Manut said he has employed 85 workers on his farm to support their families.

He further appealed to the government to provide him with a tractor and other farm machinery to boost productivity at his farm.

“If possible and the president hear me, let him at least provide us with one tractor so that we can increase our ability to cultivate a large farm that could even feed Western Bahr el Ghazal state at large.”

In April 2015, President Salva Kiir bought 1,000 tractors to be distributed to all 10 states free of charge,

But Manut Akech said the tractors did not make it to the area.