UN Photo/Tim McKulka

The National Minister of Livestock and Fisheries has called for transforming South Sudan’s abundant livestock and fish resources into commercially viable products to boost trade, enhance food security, and drive economic growth.

Speaking at the opening of the First Session of the 1st National Trade Forum in Juba on Thursday, April 24, Minister Onyoti Adigo, emphasised the need to move beyond subsistence use and invest in commercializing the country’s livestock and fisheries sectors.

“We have a lot of cows, livestock. Nothing is lacking,” said Onyoti. “But we need to reform the sector. We need to commercialize fishing. We need to commercialize livestock. If we turn it into a commercial venture, I think all of us will benefit.”

Held under the theme “Understanding Private Sector Challenges and Solutions on Matters that Affect the Business Environment for Sustainable Consultation,” the two-day forum is bringing together government officials, private sector representatives, and development partners to discuss strategies for improving South Sudan’s business environment.

Onyoti outlined major challenges holding back the livestock and fisheries industries, including poor infrastructure, lack of energy, and inadequate facilities for processing and preserving products.

These gaps, he said, prevent South Sudan from meeting international standards for packaging and exporting meat, milk, and fish.

“Our problem here with the fish and livestock is that we don’t have good infrastructure or electricity. Secondly, we lack investors in the fisheries sector who can process fish according to international standards,” he explained.

He noted that most of South Sudan’s fish is currently bought by neighboring countries like Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is processed, repackaged, and sold with foreign labels.

“If we had proper facilities for preserving and packaging fish and beef, we could export our products and earn more revenue,” he added.

“We need facilities to process milk, beef, and fish to meet international standards so that we can compete even in regional markets like Congo.”

The Minister’s remarks highlight a broader push by the government to diversify the economy beyond oil and tap into the country’s natural resources to improve livelihoods and boost national income.