4 December 2014 - Showcasing farmers’ produce and machinery from the state’s 10 counties, a three-day agricultural trade show opened today in the Western Equatoria capital Yambio.

Speaking during the opening, State Governor Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro urged people to work hard to ensure food security. He called on partners and the Ministry of Agriculture to educate people in nutrition so they could cook using a variety of sources.

Mr. Bakosoro noted that rain came from the sky free of charge, and fertile soil had been given as a gift to Western Equatoria, but some people refused to cultivate. He said the state had two vital priorities – agriculture and education.

South Sudanese people should not depend on oil, which could dry up at any time, Governor Bakosoro said. And people should stop buying food from outside the country, but invest money in agriculture to fight hunger.

State Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment John Yugule said the agricultural show, held under the theme “Food sufficiency and nutrition is a sure way towards food security”, aimed to assess food in the state and share experiences on agriculture technology.

He noted that people in the state were producing enough food to feed South Sudan as a whole, according to World Food Programme research. But bad roads were hindering farmers from bringing food to town to sell and carry out agro-business.

The show features various types of agricultural produce as well as machinery farmers are using to cultivate their land. The county with the best production and technology will be declared winner of the agricultural exhibition.

Western Equatoria State has remained calm during 11 months of conflict in South Sudan, allowing farmers the opportunity to produce food and sell it to affected states.