Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has officially handed over agricultural-related assets to the Aweil Rice Scheme in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
Speaking at the handover ceremony earlier today in Aweil, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Lily Albino Akol, announced that the transferred assets include the Aweil Rice Scheme Research Centre, a seed store, three water yards, a 26.7-kilometer access road, and a 22-feddan adaptive trial plot that is fully fenced.
Additional assets handed over include an automatic weather station, two rehabilitated boreholes, a renovated administrative block equipped with solar power, and seven motorbikes to support field operations.
Deputy Minister Lily Albino expressed the government’s appreciation for FAO’s continued partnership and support:
“The handing over of the research centre, the seed store, the 26 km roads within the scheme, the boreholes, the motorbikes, and many more, as you have seen — on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and the Government of South Sudan, I want to say we are very thankful to FAO.
“We appreciate the partnership. Rehabilitating the rice scheme is a process. It may look small now, but the progress is significant. Every year, we see results, and they are enough to keep us moving forward,” she said.
FAO Country Representative, Meshack Malo, called on state authorities to take full ownership and care of the assets handed over:
“As we hand over this equipment, I’m reminded of a personal story. Twenty years ago, when I got married, my father-in-law told me to look carefully at the bride to confirm she was beautiful and well taken care of. Today, I ask the same of you — is the research centre well maintained? The seed store? The water yards, roads, weather station, boreholes, admin block, and motorbikes? Deputy Governor, I urge you to take good care of these assets — treat them like a bride who must continue to bear fruit,” he said.
According to FAO, the asset transfer is part of a broader initiative aimed at boosting rice production, productivity, and commercialization in the region.
The $25.9 million project is set to benefit 20,784 smallholder farming households and aligns with the government’s strategy to transform South Sudan’s agricultural sector.
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