Author: Staff
The winners of round II Hackathon winners have trained thirty farmers with the necessary steps in sharing information using media planform during flood to ensure safety and minimize losses of crops.
The training conducted on Wednesday 21 July is being supported by USAID through the Sustainable Independent Media Activity (SIMA) which established the Farmers Information Team comprise of two journalists, Chuol Jany, and Nyakume Simon.
Chuol Jany who is also Editor of Catholic Radio Network says the media campaign will raise the awareness levels of farmers on new farming techniques and information sharing.
He says the two days’ workshop will help farmers navigate the effects of flood and introduce them to a new method of flood resilience crops.
“We know farmers in this region have been affected much by floods, the uses of media are very limited even to market their product remain a challenge. This training is an opportunity to learns new techniques of addressing effect of floods learn new from experts and will form a team of local youth to share information with media,” Chuol said.
The Director Agriculture in Leer County Simon Liah says farmers lack knowledge on ways to shares information with media and the training will be a great chance to learn new things.
He added that floods destroyed many crops and most farmers do not report to the media ensure that government received the information that can help in constructing a dyke.
Liah encourages the farmers to move away from traditional farming method and make uses of new crops that can resist floods like sorghum, rice and maize.
He says the training will make farmers to enhance resilience and ensure sustainable agricultural practices in flood-prone areas.
“We need farmers to be equip with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the impacts of floods because Leer County suffered so much since 2019 and the government is trying its best to support the dyke construction but not enough to farm in such small places,” Simon stressed.
One of the farmers who owned vegetable garden in Leer, George Tut Gatwech says he has been using Church, schools and community gathering to market his produces.
He explained that his knowledge level on using the media is very low and this training exposed him to network with other farmers who know the important of media channels.
“I do talks to my friends about the crops and seedling once they are ready at the garden because I don’t know the media to be important channel to markets my products. Some time I go to Leer market and sell the things without being captured in media,” he stated.
The media campaign supported by IREX and AMDISS is expected to have the significant task of disseminating accurate information to help fill knowledge gaps and raise the awareness of the farmers in Leer and Mayiandit Counties.