The Organic Food Advisory Organization (OFAO) has distributed farm tools to over 1000 farmers in Lainya and Yei River counties in Central Equatoria State.
The OFAO project manager, Safari Emmanuel, told Radio Tamazuj Monday that they distributed the farm implements in various villages in the two counties.
“This month we had a distribution activity in the two counties of Lainya and Yei. In Lainya we targeted the payams of Kupera and Mukayam,” he said. “In kupera, we supplied all the bomas of Korobe, Mundu, and Kupera. In Mukaya, we distributed in all the four bomas.”
Safari said they were targeting 3000 farmers but only 1000 benefited due to the low numbers in Lainya County.
“When we did our assessment in Lainya, we met the payam administrator and he was very honest to us and said the population is small in Lainya and that we should take 1000 beneficiaries from Lainya,” he said. “Initially, our target was 1,500 farmers in Lainya but the commissioner was honest and told us to take 2000 beneficiaries from Yei because our total target is 3000 beneficiaries in the two counties.”
Safari said apart from farm tools, they are also giving farmers grain and horticultural seeds.
“The items that we distributed are specifically hoes, 5 kg of maize seeds per household and seeds of onions, Sukuma Wiki, eggs plant, and green paper,” he said.
Daniel Duku, a beneficiary from Logo Payam in Yei River County lauded OFAO for the distribution of the seeds.
“I am happy because the seeds have been brought to us in time and OFAO should continue with the activity,” he said. “I have received maize, eggplant, and okra seeds and this is our home food and I am happy.”
Meanwhile, Santo Gale, another beneficiary, said, OFAO’s initiative will help farmers cope with market prices.
“I am excited because this organization has done a great job that can help the people in the area deal with the high market prices,” he said. “The seeds can help me and the people in the county. I got Sukuma Wiki, maize, and the eggplants.”