WHAT NEXT AFTER 1,000 TRACTORS WERE “DONATED” BY PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR?
By Madhieu Thiep Madhieu, South Sudan
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April 22, 2015 (SSB) —- The president of the Republic on Thursday 16, April 2015 officiate the launching and handing over ceremony of one thousand tractors for the states and two administrative areas of Abyei and Pibor.
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It was an historic occasion since it was the first of its kind for the government of South Sudan to implement its pledges of improving and boosting food security as well as national economy of the nation.
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Agriculture being the backbone of any nation is severely neglected and sidelined in South Sudan since 2005 when the region was semi autonomy up to date. With provision of one thousand tractors to the states and two administrative areas, the government of President Kiir deserves half praise and appreciation for the job well done.
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The people of South Sudan have on 16th April 2015 seen and acknowledge that their government had embarked on the right path of service delivery. But the question lingering on everyone’s lip is that, “what next after 1,000 tractors? Will these tractors be like 600 tractors bought during the interim period? That got wrecked without producing anything to the country.
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The wreckage of these 600 tractors are now along Juba-Yei roads and others have already generated income to blacksmith. Do we want to see these one thousand tractors in the same phase? I think the bell is now tie on the states and two areas authorities whether these farm machines would be privatized or leave to get spoil without digging a single feddan for the country.
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Their maintenance, fueling and lubrication remain a vital task to keep them alive and do something to avert this disturbing starvation that is deep rooted in our societies. Without proper management and maintenance, the funds squandered to purchase these tractors would go uncompensated and it will be a big blow to our dying economy.
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60 tractors for each state and 20 for two administrative, 16 for Renk ,Awiel rich scheme and Jebel Lado farms respectively is a big number if all these machines are permitted to farm, then by next year South Sudan won’t cry for international food aids and assistance.
Even if sanctions and threats come in thousand or million, we would pay a deaf ear to any nonsense. What the people South Sudan expected in 2016 in sufficient food in all ten states and administrative areas so that our surpluses may also reach regional or even international market for sale.
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If our neighboring countries like Kenya and Uganda export something, why can’t we? We are strong and we can cultivate and produce more than theirs if we drop laziness and culture of laxity. What next for this matter is none other than monitoring and evaluation of farm activities of these machines so that powerful individual shouldn’t localize them for their own benefit, forgetting the sole responsibilities of why they were brought?
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The office of the president in tandem with the defense ministry should make fellow ups to see that they tractors aren’t diverted by individuals. Agriculture policies is what next again to be in place to control the use of these machines, otherwise without harden policies and tough regulations, our 1,000 tractors would just be a figure but not a reality and money spent to buy them would have gone in vain.
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The beneficiaries of these tractors whether farmers groups or Societies must make sure they practically use the tools on our fertile soil. Nothing can be implemented or controlled without laws; the government of Kiir should tighten the laws and bring to book who ever sneak with one of the machine.
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Finally, the biggest next thing for the government is road where these tractors would move. Roads in South Sudan topple the list of services we need from Salva Kiir regime. The government needs to prioritize roads infrastructure this time now that agriculture sector has seen a little light.
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With these bad and torn roads of our country, most of these tractors will not reach states this year, simply because of poor road network.
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Therefore, our government has to improve roads, provides good security, and provides quality education so that the government wins full praise and appreciation from the citizen.
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The writer can be reached on the below contacts Email; madhienthiep@gmail.com Cell Phone; +211 (0) 912454988.
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