The Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in South Sudan on Thursday visited Yambio town in Western Equatoria State to assess an agricultural and livelihood program funded by the agency.
USAID’s Katherine Crawford, on arrival in Yambio, said they are going to assess Agricultural and livelihood programs in the state and see how to improve the program with other partners
“USAID has been a major partner of the South Sudanese people since 1984 and we continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance,” she said. “I am here visiting agricultural and livelihood programs because the governor said there is guaranteed security and we can be able to reach the agricultural areas.”
“We want to loop with some of the partners because we need more in terms of resilience and agriculture,” Crawford added.
On his part, Western Equatoria State Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba welcomed the delegation and assured them of security.
“Today 13 October, the USAID head of mission arrived here in Western Equatoria State and they briefed me on the program she brought,” he said. “I welcomed them and told them that the state is peaceful and that they can go and do all the programs. We will also monitor their activities till they finish so that they go back in peace.”
Governor Futuyo urged FAO to transport the produce of the local farmers in the state to the other food-insecure communities in the country instead of buying food from neighboring countries, saying this will encourage farmers to embrace large-scale agriculture.
USAID funds agriculture and livelihood projects in Western Equatoria State through the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization FAO.