Consumption of BREAD in Southern Sudan and Local farmers

December 25, 2009 (JUBA) – While wishing the God’s images of this world a wonderful and prosperous Christmas, I am on the other side of mind thinking about how busy the

a. Sorghum

As an agriculturist I love farm animals and locally produced crops.

I am a south Sudanese and based in the southern Sudan as well.

In south Sudan in particular and in Sudan in general, people are used to the culture of eating bread all the time. People eat in the local hotels, restaurants and their homes with families. In city like Juba and many other major towns in southern Sudan majority of the working class and business communities consume bread and term it as their favorite food or meal.

For me it looks a little bit weird although in sometimes I eat bread. I brought this point because as a person who is among the concerned citizens who promote local produce for local market and income generation, it seems as we talk about strengthening the capacity of local farmers in southern Sudan, we are missing or else neglecting the very crucial pro-development and social development factor.

b. Fresh Fruits

Our local farmers traditionally produce crops like maize, sorghum, groundnuts, rice, sesame, etc to name a few.

The bread we eat and the ‘chapatti’ we buy along the busy dusty roads in our towns are all made of wheat flour.

Therefore, when we eat Bread whom are we promoting here?!

Our southern Sudanese farmers or Bread Eaters and sellers’ income?!!

Read it before Christmas and plan your menu with the lovely ones well while in the Southern Sudan.

Without promoting the local production and improve the value addition and strengthen the production capacity of our farmers in the southern Sudan our development plans and strategies would look like the sign post along the streets where by when the drunk motorist hits of, never talks or defends it self.

The industries are coming up in the developing countries simply because there are agriculture products to process. Without major agricultural activities taking place in the south our success will remain a reporting and forwarding one. We work in offices and report our salary to the sellers and buy products which are not from our local farms and suppliers. And as we continue this we will indirectly demoralize the potential farmer who is food sufficient and make him feel neglected. The neglecting factor to a farmer or common man is dangerous to the nation at large.

C. Mixed produce

A very wonderful scenario happened in early December this year 2009, when in Yei town there was a big agriculture show where the farmers brought their produce and display them for three days. Among the produce there was no wheat either as flour or as a grain. While back to the hotels where guests stayed bread was in the menu. Lol

So if the photos could depict what we as southern Sudanese farmers could offer to the nation, why are we as FARMERS NOT EMPOWERED?!!

Think about it and never go back to BREAD as usual but with caution, huh!!

And as simple as it looks here in this note the consequence is so big. A father who is a farmer feeds his children, pays their school fees and cares for their health. Where does he get the money? Of course, he gets from the sale of surplus farm produce. Who buys it? Those who have monies for exchange for goods. So if our farmers’ produce are not bought, they will not have money to cater for daily financial needs and in return  the social effect will tell us that their children if girls/women may branch into idiotic acts to get money from the hooligans and opportunists along the streets in towns. Men may branch into the same act against the social favour in any nation.

And if that is the case let all of us who still understand the very fact and truth of this time stand up and safeguard our farmers for the benefit of the future of the country.

And a reminder to all of us; WE DO NOT HAVE OIL AND GOLD FARMERS TO FEED OUR NATION!!

Happy Christmas and New Year to Our Nation and to our farmers as they prepare for the first planting season in 2010.

May God bless the hard working!

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