By Lodu William Odiya
Farmers in Kondokoro Payam of Juba County have called for government and partners to provide tractors to help boost agricultural production and ease cultivation.
Speaking during a distribution of farm tools in the area yesterday, Sarah Poni (Tahuna group) said currently, most farmers rely on hand tools such as hoes and axes, making it difficult to cultivate on large scale.
“Our problem is that we cultivate using the hand tools, we want tractors to help us increase food production, farming with our hands is slow and tiring. You see the hands can also get tired” she said.
She underscored if they had tractors, they could grow more crops to feed their families and even sell to the market.
“The food that are taken to Konyo-Konyo are going from Kondokoro here, we are not farming in heaven, only God that is helping us, our land is very fertile” she explained.
Meanwhile, Zacharia Lado also reiterated the call, furthermore requesting the government and the development partners to also provide a grinding machine in that area.
“Let them bring tractor so that we farm big land. Here, just the 10kg is the one helping. we are not able to eat the sorghum which is produced because the grinding machine is broken down. To go to Jubad is costly, 35,000 SSP to and from when you want to grind” he emphasized.
On her part, Lydia Atabu Kasmiro, Head of Operations at Action Girls Africa said that the distribution of the farm tools like, hoes, seeds and spades was to help the community during their agricultural activities.
“When we look at the project objective itself, it’s to strengthen the community resilience and development through agriculture and economic empowerment” she said.
“So, this distribution specifically of the agricultural tools is to help the community in their agricultural activities like the farming” Atabu added.
Atabu underscored a total number of 1,020 individual received the tools of which 420 were from Kondokoro and 600 individuals were from Rajaf payam in Hila’ Madi, Wong-Leri areas.
Action Girls Africa is a national women-led organization that is advocating for the rights and empowering women and youth, including vulnerable communities.
Smallholder farmers in Gondokoro of Central Equatoria state (now Jubek state) have failed to increase food production due to socio-economic challenges.
Socio-economic constraints like crop diseases, lack of tools, seeds supply, land constraints, household labour shortage, marketing challenges affecting women, credits and infrastructure problems (poor roads).
Additionally, extension services, challenges associated with livestock, absence of smallholder’s association, community obligations and lack of proper medical facility.
However, many Smallholders’ means to cope with the challenges were irrigation and off-farm activities such as charcoal burning, making mats, and selling tea by women.