Africa-Press – South-Sudan. It has been a common practice that most of the cattle slaughtered in Juba for meat are majorly imported from, the Ugandan districts of Lira, Dokolo, Soroti and Kumi.
While South Sudan’s livestock population is estimated to have an asset value of US$2.2 billion, the highest per capita holding in Africa, this precious area is to be tapped. This livestock is not being managed sustainably and is causing more harm to the people than the purpose they were created for by God.
The number of livestock in this country is said to be more than the total human population, but still, the country imports cattle from Uganda for consumption. This is because many of the pastoralists in the country do not consider the cattle they keep as sources of wealth. The cattle herders are proud of the quantity rather than the quality of the cattle they keep. They don’t even consider their animals a source of food and income.
In South Sudan, cattle are respected and in some communities, not even a single cow is slaughtered for the family to eat unless during a function. So, the beef that is consumed in Juba is entirely sourced from the livestock that is imported from Uganda.
According to the African Development Bank, 80 per cent of the people here live in rural areas and rely on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, in most communities, cows are mostly used to pay a bride prize or dowry and as compensation in cases of murder or adultery. Most communities pay a huge number of cattle as bride wealth, and this lucrative bride wealth has become the major cause of domestic violence, forced and child marriages, and cattle-related killings in the country.
With the highest population of livestock in the country, South Sudan would have been the richest country in the region if those animals were properly utilised and managed. The country would not be experiencing hunger, poverty, and malnutrition. Those animals could be used for farming as well as to provide nutrition. A good milk processing industry would be set up either in the Upper Nile or Bahr el-Ghazal regions to supply the country with milk. But currently, even unprocessed milk is imported from Uganda.
It is a very big shame for us as citizens to import goods that we either have within the country or are capable of producing. However, there is a need to educate the citizens about their resources, so they can benefit from them instead of using them for prestige.
The cattle keepers need proper sensitisation so that they can realise the value of their wealth and invest in it. This will help the country to blossom through the creation of jobs and the expansion of the manufacturing sector for status.
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