The former inspector-general of South Sudan’s national police service, General Achuil Tito Madut, has announced that he has turned to farming and called on others to take it up instead of fighting and war.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, Achuil revealed that he has gone into the agriculture business.

“I went to survey a place called Tonj-Chol which is along the border between Northern Bahr al Ghazal State and Warrap,” he said, specifying that the land is in Akoc Payam of Twic County. 

After consultations with the state authorities he said he was given permission to cultivate 10,000 feddans. “On those 10,000 feddans I began working on them in 2013 and I surveyed at first 1,000 feddans... and we began to farm on it.”

After the first harvest in 2014 he said he expanded the amount of cultivated area to 2,000 feddans.

“I am farming on it sorghum and I am also farming gadam hamam sorghum,” he said, stressing that the recent crop had been fairly good.

He stressed that agriculture can help in the provision of services to the people instead of political wrangling. However, he acknowledged that enormous challenges are still facing the agriculture business like lack of fuel and other production inputs.  

“Agriculture could be the backbone of South Sudan’s economy according to my experience in agriculture,” he said.  

The former national police chief is also now serving as state minister for local government in Warrap State. He urged the people of South Sudan to embark on agriculture instead of fighting for political positions.