The prizes awarded to the best farming groups in Western Equatorial State. [Gurtong | Joseph Nashion]
By Joseph Nashion
YAMBIO, 25 October 2012 [Gurtong] - Hundreds of farmers from across the state flocked to Yambio to display their best produce and compete for agricultural prizes during the three day event.
Jubilations stormed Yambio freedom square with traditional dances from Yambio after being announced the winners of the show.
Yambio County scored 39 points of out of 45 followed by Nzara with 37 points and Tombura emerged third with 27 points.
Yambio County the host winners walked away with a tricycle and Nzara walked with senke motorbike and Tombura received bicycle.
The remaining five farmers from each county were given hoes, axes and rakes for participating in the show.
The chairman of the organizing committee Edward Baranaba Kisanga saidthe criteria used for judging the show ranged from numbers of questions that were asked to the farmers.
He said the committee members asked questions on the total area cultivated, method used for the cultivation and how the farmers responded.
Baranaba said Western Equatoria State has produced enough this year and they expects to get more by next year as he rated this years’ show as only 49 per cent since most farmers did not attend.
Grace Minisare represented Yambio during the show where she appreciated the state government for their support to allow farmers from all the ten counties reach the milestone of food security.
“The car will help us in many things, we have grinding mill, it will help us carry out flour to the market for sell, if customers come to buy our flour we shall also carry it home to bring customers closer to us,” she explained.
Minisare is optimistic that they will work hard next year to get the promised car.
Edward Mails from Mundri West County who were third say this was an eye opener for next year.
Malis said the gifts given to them will bring bigger things than the tricycles given to Yambio.
Presenting the gifts the state governor apologized for the farmers for not meeting the promise of awarding a car to the winners due to the austerity measures.
“We promised that the winner will get a car, but with lack of money we could not buy a car but the little we did you have got, next year I will tell the minister of agriculture to put in the budget so that next year transportation of people should be in place to allow more farmers bring their produce for the show,” he said.
During last year’s show, the state governor promised a car for the winners of the show which did not happen.
The governor encouraged farmers to work in association or groups to allow them cultivate good hectares of land.
He stressed that the exhibition is one way of making farmers come to together to know how their fellow farmers from other parts of the state work, and what type of crops they grow, and the methods the use to allow them replicate in their counties.
He says by 2015 Western Equatoria State will be a food secure and will feed the rest of the country.
Bakosoro further called upon the farmers to be vigilant not to use fertilizers at this time but to first study the what kind of fertilizers are brought into the state.
“I am saying Western Equatoria State does not need fertilizers at this time, however those brought for demonstration should be used for the purpose not to be sold anyhow to citizens,” he said.
Governor Bakosoro launched agriculture campaign late last year during his Christmas tour to all the counties of the state encouraging the local population to be food secure by this year.