Indian peacekeeping veterinarians held a special camp to treat sick cattle and a training demonstration in support of farmers in the flood-stricken Pibor area as part of week-long United Nations Day celebrations.

Thousands of families in Pibor are in desperate need of assistance after severe flooding washed away houses, livestock and farmland in the Jonglei region of South Sudan. Humanitarian assistance is being provided but Indian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan decided to hold a special veterinary camp to support local farmers in the area who are struggling.

During the camp, 100 cattle with serious illnesses were treated by the Indian veterinary team with assistance from local vet technicians. The team also provided practical training for young cattle keepers in the area on how to treat cattle by administering medicine and deworming them.

In addition, a special demonstration called “Bull Power” was held to inform local farmers about new techniques of bull rearing and the use of cattle in irrigation. The demonstration in the form of a dramatic skit based on a fictional character emphasized the importance of cattle to the South Sudan people and economy, cattle rearing and taming, use of cattle in irrigation, harvesting rain water and improving water security.

A variety of farming equipment made from scrap materials was also displayed to show that such equipment can be made locally without access to significant capital or resources. 

The UN Day event was attended the Boma Governor Major General Ismail Konyi, deputy Governor Omot Ogul Abai, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries as well as UN personnel, humanitarians, non-governmental organizations and members of the public.

The Indian battalion has committed to carrying out similar “Bull Power” demonstrations at villages across the region, to hold another veterinary camp next month after flooding subsides and to continue to train the young people of the area in irrigation techniques.