FEATURE: Jonglei farmer urges Murle to embrace farming
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July 4, 2015 (BOR) - Mary Philip Lokila, 69, is busy working on her
large farm dominated by maize, which she planted this season in South
Sudan’s Jonglei state.
JPEG - 79.6 kb
Mary Lokali tours her maize plantation July 3, 2015 (ST)
The large farm is located in Manyachor, east of Likuangole county.
“I call on the rest of my tribe mates to adopt mixed life of keeping
cattle and food crop production in fertile area,” proudly says Lokila.
Her farm is located just right next to a corner near Pibor River,
meaning the prominent farmer gets enough water supply for crops and
domestic animals.
Mary is, however, optimistic that engagement in food production would
eventually reduce crime rates within the Greater Pibor region.
“None of my tribe mates, especially women have eaten enough food due
to scarcity of resources,” narrates the 69-year old farmer.
She said women suffer day and night to provide food for the family.
“The women in this community are like bees, working day and night to
provide food for the rest of the members. But after preparing the
meal, she must eat last after her husband and all the kids have no
space left in the bellies to accommodate the remaining food, that is
when she can now eat, otherwise she sleeps hungry”, she laments.
But Lokila admits the work women do is rooted in family cultures and traditions.
“In farms, women are the majority producing maize meant just for
roasting, she never has to cultivate properly because they are forced
out by family issues. If men can accept to cultivate like us, we will
have a joint force to liberate communities from hunger”, she says.
A farmer since 1960, Lokila married a soldier-turned priest, Philip
Lokila. Currently, her farm is approximately three fedans, which she
ploughs manually since her village has never before seen a tractor.
The renowned farmer is still skeptical about the use of cattle to
plough gardens, citing the problems attached to its management.
“When you see the cattle, the tail does not rest, winging it
left-side, right-side, that is symbolising how restless you would be
as the owner in life. To me, we should avoid that and sit down in a
permanent settlement, build houses instead of living in plastic sheets
under trees,” says Lokila.
“If we cultivate our crops and keep your cattle in a permanent
settlement, we would have both animal products and crops to eat and
life will go well”, she adds.
HUGE HARVEST
Last year, the 69-year old farmer reportedly sold to the locals 65
bags of maize and sorghum she harvested from her farm. She was also
the main seed provider to those who came from the different villages.
Charles Gain, a resident of Pibor, said he fully supports Lokila’s
farming techniques.
(ST)
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5 July 06:36, by ngadodo
Those women with greater talent than department of agriculture
should support such people to growth crops to themselves and members
of publication in order to encourage others to do same by providing
tools even money to make others thinking’s that if they working in
farmers will get benefit from their government in that regards.
repondre message
5 July 07:06, by Ahmed Chol
"..women eat last after her husband and all the kids have no
space left in the bellies" This is very terrible!. The government
needs to use Lokila to teach all Murle about her skill and wisdom and
this community will change. Yau-Yau needs to provide schools for his
youth too. Murle community is left behind, it is still in the stone
age.
repondre message
5 July 07:28, by Ayuen deng
Good move Mama Mary teaches your men how peaceful &
profitable is farming then raiding children and cattle where one would
get killed or kill someone.I begins to like Yau yau administration
because raiding have reduced and development is coming to Pibor
people.
repondre message
5 July 17:09, by Lotodo Awino Odug
Thank mama, I love roasted maize and kisra prepared from
ground Akueerachot flour.
repondre message
5 July 16:52, by Eastern
No wonder most people in most parts of Jonglei state are unhealthy
looking! You folks should engage in farming to produce the badly
needed food; Jonglei state as is most of Upper Nile region is the most
well endowed region in South Sudan. Talk of natural resources,
livestock, agriculture, etc. The population in these location need to
down their guns for the hoes!
repondre message
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