The caretaker government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has requested additional support to help farmers recover from a dry spell that has affected agricultural production. Caretaker Governor Charles Madut Akol raised the concerns during a meeting with China’s ambassador to South Sudan, Mia Qiang, and a World Food Programme (WFP) delegation visiting the state. The delegation aims to assess the impact of the dry spell and identify areas requiring assistance.
The WFP delegation, led by representative and Country Director Mutinta Chimuka, will visit Aweil East and Aweil South counties to assess farming activities and explore opportunities to support vegetable production, gardening projects, and food assistance. Speaking on behalf of the governor, caretaker Information Minister Dominic Kang Deng Kang said the visit would help identify the needs of farming communities affected by the dry spell.
Minister Kang stated that the delegation would inspect gardens and farms cultivated by local communities. The governor had also requested Chinese support for the construction of feeder roads to connect farming communities to markets. Kang added that the governor had asked the Chinese delegation to consider supporting the construction of the University of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and providing books for the institution.
China’s ambassador to South Sudan, Mia Qiang, said the visit aimed to assess conditions on the ground and explore ways to strengthen agricultural cooperation, particularly in response to climate-related challenges such as droughts and floods. The visit is also intended to implement commitments made by the leaders of China and South Sudan during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing in September 2024.
Ambassador Mia Qiang stated that China and South Sudan had agreed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture during a bilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Mia said he was visiting Northern Bahr el Ghazal to explore how China could help South Sudanese communities through agricultural cooperation.
WFP representative Mutinta Chimuka reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with the state government and other partners to improve agricultural production, household nutrition, and community resilience. Chimuka emphasized the importance of supporting farmers, particularly women, to help households produce food for their own consumption and generate income by selling surplus crops.
The visit comes as Northern Bahr el Ghazal seeks additional assistance to address the effects of the dry spell, support agricultural recovery, and strengthen food security among affected communities. The state government is working with international partners to improve agricultural production, household nutrition, and community resilience, and to reduce dependence on external assistance.
Key points
- The WFP and Chinese diplomat are assessing the impact of the dry spell on agricultural production in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
- The state government is seeking support for farmers affected by the dry spell and exploring opportunities for agricultural cooperation with China.
- The visit aims to implement commitments made by the leaders of China and South Sudan during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing in September 2024.
