Farmers in Hatire Payam, one of the green belt areas of Eastern Equatoria, have requested the state to improve the poor road network and communication system to increase food production.
Bagu Lona, a missionary in Hatire, told Radio Emmanuel that the fertile land in the area would produce enough food to feed the state but the farmers are faced with poor roads and no means of communication.He urged the authorities to cover the area with a mobile network because over 11,000 people are cut off from the rest of the world.
Rev Lona said Hatire famers are hard-working people but they need better tools and improved crop seeds.
Anna Itwari Felix, the Director General in the ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Cooperatives and Rural Development in Eastern Equatoria, agreed with the concerns raised by the farmers.
She explained that farmers did not have proper feeder roads to put their produce in the markets.
Ms Itwari announced that Farm Project is ready to link famers to the markets while USAID and the World Bank promised to repair feeder roads to improve accessibility and cut food waste.
Ms Itwari added that the ministry will focus this year in building the capacity of farmers for them to produce seeds of all the varieties of crops.