The UN Food and Agricultural Organization or FAO is calling on the government of South Sudan to construct dams and dikes to conserve water.
According to FAO, Warrap, Northern Bhar El Ghazal and Jonglei States are the most affected places with floods in terms of crops and livestock.
Speaking to CRN in a telephone interview, FAO Representative in South Sudan, Meshack Malo says there must be ways to prevent floods in the country.
“It is very unfortunate that after a few months, we might find ourselves talking about drought in the same area and there is this circle of floods, after a short time drought and we tend to always forget that we were in a situation of floods. So it means there must be ways that’s why I’m talking about dams and dikes to conserve this water”, said FAO representative.
Dikes are embankments constructed to protect land against overflow or flooding from streams, lakes, and tidal influences.
Meanwhile, dams are built across a stream or river to hold water back. They can be used to store water, control flooding, and generate electricity.
Malo calls for long term planning to prevent South Sudanese from the side effects of floods instead of relying on humanitarian assistance.
“After the floods of this year it is very clear that we have to undertake long term planning. We do not have to maintain a humanitarian assistant. The floods require proper development, long term planning to be put in place to ensure that the impact is minimized. It needs the combination of ministries coming together, the ministry of Agriculture, humanitarian affairs and the ministry of water and irrigation taking the lead in the areas of infrastructure of the life”, Malo stressed.
In a report conducted by FAO, it provides a state-by-state summary of the effects of flooding in 2021 on crops and livestock.
It shows Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Jonglei states which were the most affected in terms of loss of production.
“This disastrous level of crops and livestock loss represents a significant threat to the livelihood and food security for hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese,” said Meshack Malo.
In Warrap state, there is an estimated loss of more than 21 126 tons of cereal production, a significant portion of the total nation-wide cereal production loss which is estimated at 37 624 tons.
The livestock killed by the flooding include cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, donkeys and poultry.
In Upper Nile state, it’s estimated more than 143-thousand animals died due to the floods. In Jonglei, that number is more than 251-thousand, and in Unity state, nearly 355-thousand animals were lost. Across the country, the total estimated livestock loss is 795 558 animals.
The total number of people affected by the floods is estimated at 835-thousand across the country.
“This disastrous level of crops and livestock loss represents a significant threat to the livelihood and food security for hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese,” said Meshack Malo, FAO Representative in South Sudan.
The report is the result of an assessment conducted by FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and State Ministries of Agriculture.