This article was last updated on May 25, 2022
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The 18 groups of women vegetable gardeners supported by Mercy Corps planted a variety of vegetables including kukudura, cabbage, okra, onions, eggplants and tomatoes for selling in the urban areas.
According to Mercy Corps, an international organization that assists returnees and vulnerable people in food security and self-reliance, the project has so far enabled women to earn about 90,000 South Sudanese Pounds.
“These women managed to save a profit sum of about 90,000 SSP from the first pace of their vegetables sales,” said Achel Barac, a Programme Officer for Mercy Corps, adding that they are targeting 180,000 SSP after the second harvest.
She added that the women also do saving and lending transaction as they loan the money to other traders and earn interest.
Aluat Kuang is a 60-year-old mother who has managed to send her two grandchildren to school through the income from the vegetables sales.
“I am able now to send my grandson and daughter to school and also cater for their feeding, health and clothes from the vegetables’ money,” she said.
According to Aluat, having joined the group has helped her a lot since she has been growing vegetables for the last five years but not as helpful like in a group.
“Growing vegetables is one of the things I liked. I have been growing them in small scale but with low turnout though. However, having joined this group, the work becomes easier and profitable too,” she said.
During dry season, the demand for vegetables is very high with many people, particularly restaurant operators and NGOs coming to purchase the produces.
“Vegetables during dry season are very marketable. They produces are needed for home consumption and especially women who are running restaurants,” she told Gurtong.
The state minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Majok Bol, stated that Twic County has been the source of vegetable supply to other towns within and other states.
“Twic has become the source of vegetables supply throughout Warrap and to outside towns like Wau, Agok and Abyei,” Bol said.
He cited that another vegetable gardening project which engaged bigger number of women most of which are IDPs and returnees is in Mayen Gummel in the state capital Kuacjok.
Minister Bol stressed that the issue of land is a problem that hindered such economic activities.
According to Barac, the programme Officer for Mercy Corps, they have trained these women on book keeping and other income generating activities.
The organization also provided the women with seeds, tools, pesticides and insecticides.
A total of 380 women from 280 households are said to be benefiting from the vegetable gardening program.
In March, a European High Delegation to South Sudan stated that European Union would mobilize about 80 million Euros to support agriculture, roads, health and education in greater Barh el Ghazal for the next three years.
“Overall South Sudan with focus on Greater Bahr El Ghazal, we (European Union) mobilizing about 80 million euros worth of $110 million for the next 2-3 years on rural development,” EU Ambassador, Sven Kuhn Von Burgsdorff said following his field visit to project sites in Twic County, Warrap State.
He added that the funds would develop, feeder roads, extend services to farmers, food security and in addition health and education.
According to the women farmers, they encountered several challenges that include lack of water pumps, seeds shortage and problem of transportation.
“The main challenge we face is lack of irrigation pumps. We now hand lift water for irrigation which is very slow and tiresome,” One of the group member said.
According to the state authorities, Mercy Corps, a European Union Community funded organization has been outstanding in engaging rural based communities, IDPs and returnees with livelihood and income generating activity skills.
South Sudan has vast arable productive land that is viable for agriculture and other economic activities.
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