JUBA – Farming communities of Jengeli in Luri Payam of Juba County have been advised to seek technical advice from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries.

This comes after an unidentified disease struck the Payam and affected poultry and livestock.

More than 200 farming groups are being supported by Daughters of Mary Immaculate in poultry as they keep rabbits, pigs, and goats rearing in Central Equatoria State.

The same community also has the Saving Cooperative Association supported by the same Charity Organisation [DMI].

“We are advising them that their farming and poultry keeping should be coordinated with the state and national ministries so that they can get technical advice from our technical officers,” said Onyoti Adigo, the Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries.

“We have seen the Daughters of Mary Immaculate doing a very good job by encouraging and supporting farmers. This should be continued to take this country ahead in food production,” he added.

He was speaking in an event yesterday to mark one year of Daughter of Mary Immaculate support to the farmers in Luri Payam.

Ready to help

Mary Sitina, the Director at the Department of Poultry and Animals, said their technical personnel is always available to provide farmers with skills and advice.

“We did not know that you [farmers] are doing agricultural activities, we would have provided you with technical advice to help you in farming and livestock keeping,” she said.

However, the farmers said the chicken and animals given to them by DMI sisters were dying of diseases due to poor housing and lack of feed.

“We have received chicks from Daughters of Mary Immaculate [DMI] without housing and feeds. Good enough we got some loan from the money we have been saving for building houses for the poultry,” Modi said, the leader of Farmers Federation Association of Jengeli village.

Out of the 100 chicks given, 45 of them have died. Meanwhile, another group that was given 110 chicks has lost 31, said Modi.

He said the rabbits and pigs were in healthy condition.

Grace Mateo said they have received training had on crop growing and animals keeping to improve their production despite the presence of diseases that have affected their activities.

“They have provided us with skills because we did not know how to plant crops but now we have improved a lot in our farming activities,” Grace said.

Jenny Maila, the Country Director of Daughters of Mary Immaculate [DMI] Jenny Maila, said the income generation of the farmers has improved since they started supporting them one year ago.

“DMI has been empowering vulnerable farming communities and they are now able to produce their food as a result they were able to take their children to school and have food on the table,” Maila said.

The DMI is supporting 150 farmers’ associations within Juba alone and has more than 200 saving cooperatives for farmers in those associations.