Photo: Some women preparing rice harvested from a farm in Turalei, Warrap State - Credit: Moyo Jacob/Eye Radio October 31, 2023

Some women beneficiaries with support from a UN food agency in Twic County of Warrap State say they have diversified crop production after acquiring farming skills in response to the effects of climate change in the area.

According to the World Food Program, the communities in Atonj of Warrap State had majorly concentrated on the cultivation of one stable food, sorghum which rendered the locals vulnerable during climate changes.

As a result, the agency initiated a capacity building of the locals and introduced them to verities of crops such as sweet potatoes and cassava that withstand the effects of long dry spells or droughts.

The locals also thought rice farming to withstand the adverse effects of heavy rains causing floods

Ahok Mathok, one of the beneficiaries told Eye Radio that besides a group farm supported by WFP, they have established their individual farms and cultivated a variety of food crops.

“Our farm is large, it is five ‘feddans’. We are planting sweet potatoes in ridges, each and everyone has her own ridges. During harvesting,  you will never go to your neighbour and the neighbour knows the border from one farmer to the other,” she said.

“Besides these farms, we have individual farms at home where we grow sorghum and vegetables like okra, tomatoes, eggplants, and beans. After harvest, the bigger portion will be eaten and the smaller one will be sold.

“With support from WFP, we got a lot of training and we are supported with these seeds, and sweet potato vines.

“So, after graduation, we will be carrying on on our own because we have all the required knowledge, we have known how to preserve the vines, we will continue on our own,”

Another beneficiary Adut Duot Kiir much of what they produce goes to consumption and the surplus is sold to pay their children in school and part of the money is used for business.

“This project has helped me and with this, I am able to sponsor my children in school and their medication including food.

“There are times when we get more money and there is time, we don’t get money. I have five children and I take care of them through farming, I cultivate every year.

“WFP has trained us and with these skills, I am doing my work and I can cultivate okra, and sell it to get money. I can also make groundnut paste and sell it out, it’s a kind of business.

Duot is encouraging other women to learn doing the same and hopes WFP will reach out to them.

Commenting on the initiative, Isaac Amule, the Head of Programs for WFP in Kuajok, says the initiative was to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on the livelihoods of the locals.

“As we know, South Sudan is really facing a lot of climatic issues at the moment. We are experiencing high flooding, and we are also experiencing a long spell of dry season happening in this part of the country.

“As WFP, we realized that these are really the drivers of food insecurity in the country, and as an organization,

“We decided to think of ways of how we can actually mitigate some of these effects of these climates by introducing crops that are resistant either to flood or crops that can do very well in dry places”.

According to WFP, low production, localized conflict, and climatic shocks among others are key drivers of food insecurity in the State.

This year under its Assets Creation and Livelihoods, it has ensured the clearance of 22,725 feddans, cultivated and planted with sorghum, groundnuts, green grams, rice, and cassava among others.

Besides that, it has also ensured the clearance of 724,781 square meters of land planted with different varieties of vegetables.

This is in comparison to the 2022 farm outcome that saw 30,539 households harvesting 150,465 bags of cereals and groundnuts.