Tractors cultivating a stretch of land in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. | Photo: Office of the Governor/ Facebook.

The government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal on Saturday launched the Agricultural Seasonal – a campaign mobilizing farmers to produce enough food for the state this rainy season.

The initiative, supported by development partners, is under the theme ‘Let’s Cultivate to Eradicate Hunger’ in the state.

The event was organized by the Minister of Agriculture Anei Deng Akok, and the state farmers union.

Minister Anei Deng said agriculture in the state is facing many challenges including climate adversities and a lack of tools and equipment.

He says most of the tractors distributed to the five counties are experiencing mechanical breakdowns.

“We do have tractors that we distributed to the five countries, but we do have challenges with hydraulic systems with all the tractors that we have. But the few that are functioning, have been distributed to Aweil East, Aweil Center, and the rest,” he said.

Speaking during the launch, Anei encouraged the state population to double their agricultural production if the state is to sustain the influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan.

“There are a lot of challenges that are facing farmers in the state, but we urge the farmers and the communities of Aweil that we don’t have an option because our population is beyond two million and that’s why we have a problem of hunger every year.”

“People do cultivate, but our population is big, that’s why the little that we harvest finishes before the season end. So by this year, I hope we cultivate more so that we can eradicate hunger.”

The state governor, Tong Aken said climate disasters like the four years of flooding, have destroyed crops leaving most farmers discouraged.

He appealed to the state farmers not to abandon their farms but to keep hoping for better harvests.

“If we do not put our attention in cultivation we are doing nothing. What discourages people from cultivation is the climate change that we talked about. When they cultivate, they do not harvest so they get tired like myself last year I cultivated but did not harvest anything.”

“So this discourages people, but no one can fight with God. The same way God brings and takes a person also he can make you succeed this year and fail next year”.

Governor Aken further acknowledged the role of women and youth in the agricultural sector and appealed to international partners to support them with necessary tools.

“In this country, we are living on the backs of women. If you go to the market, you find things that are done by women, they are the one working in all those small farms, our women here in Aweil made us proud.”

“We want the National and International organizations to stand with Youth, we are ready to avail a place for Youth to Cultivate, and the government will look for a water generator. We want programs for youth instead of waking up in the morning and playing games.”

Northern Bahr el Ghazal has one of the largest agricultural schemes in the country – the Aweil Rice Scheme.

The farming project was established by the Sudanese government in Northern Bahr El Ghazal, during British rule in the late 1940s.

However, since the South Sudan government inherited the scheme, production has been crippled and only 3,000 hectares are being cultivated.