Dry Spell Destroys 100 Acres of Maize Meant for Refugees

The unpredicted dry spell left at least 100 acres of maize planted by the Office of the Prime Minister-OPM meant for South Sudanese refugees and host communities destroyed.

  

The 100 acres of maize was planted on part of the over 2,000 acres of land given by community members in the villages of Piroa and Aliwala in Mungula parish, Ititrikwa sub county district to establish a commercial farm for both refugees and host communities. 

The commercial farm was officially launched in November last year by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees-UNHCR aimed at increasing food security, household income among refugees and host communities, enhancing farming as well as giving refugees the chance to become self-reliant. 

  

Titus Jogo, the Refugee Desk Officer for Adjumani district says the plan was that, after harvesting, the group of beneficiaries whose number he did not mention would then either sell or keep the maize to supplement on what they receive from the World Food Program.

  

Jogo says they have so far ploughed 270 acres as they wait for the onset of rain which is expected by the end of March. He however did not mention what they are going to plant this time.  

//Cue in: “It was wrong   

Cue Out … prepared accordingly”//

 

Joseph Mabiny, a South Sudanese refugee who had registered to benefit from the project says the current food ration being given by UNHCR is not enough and they had hoped to get supplementary food under the project. He says they have continued to live in a somewhat hard condition to continue surviving.

  

Currently, there are approximately 240,000 refugees and 30,000 host community members in Adjumani district.

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