By Hassan Arun Cosmas – Yei
Organic Farming Advisory Organization project manager called on agriculturalists in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State to speed up with the process of land preparation.
Safari Emmanuel believes that early preparations enable farmers to timely plan, revealing that the first rain always comes with nitrogen that is important for the health of crops.
He adds that early preparation and plantation helps crops to escape most of the diseases which affects crops due to late plantation.
“The season has already started and it is very important for the farmers to start preparing their lands because we always believe that the first rain comes with nitrogen which is very important for our crops. So as organic farming advisory organization, we always encourage farmers to start early land preparations so that their crops are not affected with pest and diseases because there are higher chances that early preparation will help crops escape most the pest and diseases that affect our garden,” the manager reveals.
Emmanuel mentions a challenge of climatic challenge that affects farming, but advises the farmers to be flexible with situations and weather changes.
He outlines pest and diseases as another challenge confronting agriculturalists in the area especially fall army worm.
The organization program manager advises the agriculturalists to diversify farming to overcome the challenge of pest and diseases.
“There are challenges that are affecting the farmers. One of the challenges is climatic changes because you cannot predict weather. Sometimes you may think that it is not the wrong time to plant but suddenly things changes that is why we need to be flexible with situations of climatic changes. So how do we help ourselves in situations of climatic changes, we always encourages farmers to diversify farming including raring chicken and agro-forest technology so that if one of the things fails, you with harvest from the other centers in the farm. So challenges are there, another challenge includes pest and diseases especially the fall army worms which affects maize from the beginning of the season that is why it is better for the farmers to start planting early so that some of these problems are minimized. In our projects, we also carter for returnees, IDPs and the host community especially those who are leaving within Yei town,” he adds.
Meanwhile Abayi David, one of the farmers in Yei town, encourages the entire population in the area to embark on agriculture to improve the country’s economic situation.
He calls for inclusion of agriculture in the South Sudan curriculum in order for people to learn as agriculture is the strongest backbone of a country.
David discourages citizens from idling, but fully get involved in cultivation to improve on their living standards which were worsened by the crisis.
“My message is that agriculture is the backbone of a country despite not being considered in the South Sudan curriculum. Otherwise people have to fully embark on agriculture. With agriculture, you cannot care of assistance from foreign nations, but you can progress alone. Am urging my colleagues to fully invest in agriculture and avoid loitering in the town,” the farmer advises his fellows.
Earlier last week, citizens in Yei were disappointed and discouraged in the delay of the rainfall which they thought is going to expose the population to serious hunger if it takes long.
Since then, it started raining and most of the agriculturalists are seen preparing their lands for the first cultivation season.