The Norwegian Ambassador to South Sudan Linken Berryman travelled to Tonj South County in Warrap State last Thursday, where she was received by Warrap State Governor Manhiem Bol Malek.
During her visit, Ambassador Berryman had the opportunity to explore several impactful projects aimed at enhancing the livelihoods and food security of the local communities.
These projects, involving groundnut, cassava, and rice farming, are being executed by ADRA and Kongkoc consortiums and are generously sponsored by the government of Norway. The initiative also includes introducing cassava as a new crop variety to the Dinka community.
William Wol, the Warrap State spokesperson, highlighted the significance of these projects and said: “Governor Manhiem received the Norwegian Ambassador Linken Berryman, and the purpose of the ambassador’s visit to Tonj South is to see the projects which are implemented by ADRA and KongKoc organizations. The cassava, groundnuts, and rice projects will benefit people and alleviate hunger, especially in this time of climate change.”
Wol also highlighted the challenges posed by poor road conditions, making some farming projects inaccessible. “The ambassador and governor visited Babchok cassava farm, Warker groundnut farm, and Malual Muok rice farm. Unfortunately, Manyngok, Amethchok, and Tonj Girl’s Primary Schools were not reachable due to bad roads,” he noted.
Governor Manhiem emphasized the importance of local ownership of these projects and encouraged the community to put their knowledge of cassava farming into practice to combat hunger.
“Governor appreciated Ambassador Linken for the donation and has urged the project beneficiaries to continue with the projects, own them for their own use because cassava has multiple benefits – its leaves are edible and used for sauces, its stem is sold for a good price, and its tubers are used for making cassava flour,” Wol added.
Agor Malang, the Tonj South County commissioner, expressed his appreciation for the projects, particularly the training provided to the local population. He emphasized the enduring value of the skills and knowledge gained through these initiatives.
“Governor received the Norwegian ambassador, and we visited the project sites. It was a successful visit and it has had a positive impact on the people because people who have been trained will retain those skills and knowledge, which will help in their daily lives.”