FAO Launches 2011 Planting Season Mobilisation Campaign – Every Seed Counts The upsurge in conflicts and rising fuel costs have hurt the ability of thousands of people, including returnees, to plant during the current rains, the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation said today as it launched a planting season campaign. 17 May 2011
17 May 2011 JUBA: Fighting displaced an estimated 81,539 people between January and March of 2011, according to humanitarian agencies, and in some areas disrupted ground clearance and planting, while fuel prices have doubled in some places since February, increasing fares, food transportation and putting seed out of reach of vulnerable groups, including some 287 878 people who had returned by April. The campaign, Every Seed Counts, will ensure that those who are able vigorously participate in the current planting and take advantage of rains projected at normal to above normal in most parts of southern Sudan. "This campaign is aimed at ensuring that people who have a chance to plant don’t merely stay in the gardens for longer, but that they do so in ways that are effective, ways that will boost the final harvest,” said Dr. George Okech, Head of Office, FAO Southern Sudan. “If we do not make efforts to increase food production, the impact will be felt by vulnerable people at harvest time down the road, creating an emergency,” he said. “We hope for everybody to join us to ensure that every seed counts”. The newly released Seed Security System Assessment (SSSA) for Southern Sudan found that farmers were largely able to rely, and even to expand cultivated land areas, drawing on functioning local seed channels. Farmers planned to expand sowing amounts by almost 80% across crops; even the IDP/ returnee groups reported they would increase sowing amounts by over 60%. But labor constraints, lack of disposable income, and health problems were three major stresses hindering farmer’ production potential. The assessment found seed security good overall, except in some areas including Upper Nile and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states. CIAT conducted the assessment together with partners – the first in Southern Sudan; the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department and the United States Agency for International Development - OFDA funded it. Based on the results of the SSSA, FAO and partners’ teams are helping farmers lacking access to seeds meet their 2011 dreams, despite the challenges. With funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department and the Common Humanitarian Funds, FAO has, among other things, doubled Seed Fairs to ensure development of a sustainable local seed market: farmers who have seed get an opportunity to sell while farmers who lack seed access it. This year’s planting season mobilisation campaign has targeted about 1 000 000 vulnerable individuals including returnees - more than a tenth of the southern Sudan population. ---ENDS--- For more information please contact: Edward Ogolla, FAO/Juba, Cell: +249-926-652-858, E-mail: [email protected] Posted in: Humanitarian, Press Releases -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
