3rd Quarter Agriculture Report 2007

Agriculture project Bhar-el-Ghazal _______________________________________________________________________ _ 3rd quarterly report update: July to September 2007

GENERAL OVERVIEW In Agriculture sector IAS has worked towards building the capacity of the community in the transition from relief to development process. The community has demonstrated acceptance and support for IAS projects through their participation in developmental projects. The state government and the county authorities have contributed in the selection of agriculture trainees for the year 2007 agriculture training at Achiek training centre. 37 agricultural extension workers from Aweil state graduated from the centre on the 11th September 2007. IAS has helped to raise the number of trained agricultural extension workers in Aweil state by 173 community based agriculture extension workers. The prevailing peace has enabled the implementation of projects in Aweil state. The peace has as well resulted to the region being returning point for both transit returnees and those coming to settle in their residential areas. The state Government and international Non Governmental Organizations have continued to address the resettlement, rehabilitation and livelihood issues. The road leading to Aweil town from Akuem across the former Aweil rice scheme has remained a major asset that has been created in the area. It has enabled easy access to the town and to the Northern market for most consumer goods. Much as it is a necessity, it has served as a blockage to the flood water; the flow of the floods across the road has been affected as more flooding has resulted due to lack of spacious bridges. The flooding came after heavy rains that pounded the area in July and August. Over 3,658 households from Aweil East County have been displaced by the flood water. IAS conducted a separate assessment in Yargot payam and registered 416 IDPs. WFP, UN agencies and international organizations visited Awulwic market where most displaced families had camped and conducted a rapid assessment. UNICEF and WFP distributed relief food and portable water to the displaced families. Houses were left damaged in water while most crops; sorghum, rice and vegetable crops swept by the

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flood. The affected families are subjected to being food insecure in the year 2008, a situation that warrants philanthropic intervention.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES Supporting recovery and rehabilitation Agriculture sector has aimed at supporting the recovery and rehabilitation of rural communities in the region and promoting an enabling situation for transition to development. Major areas covered in this 3rd quarter are; Agriculture training for community based agriculture extension workers, agriculture workshops for contact farmers and capacity building for land and natural resource management for five Boma development committees.

Agriculture training for community based agriculture extension workers

The three month-Agriculture training for community based agriculture extension workers completed in the month of August; with graduation taking place on the 11th of September 2007. Aweil East County commissioner presided at the graduation ceremony and presented certificate of completion to 37 CBAEWs. The graduands have been equipped with relevant knowledge and skills in basic agriculture to enable them transform the community through training others and assist them identify opportunities available for sustainable agriculture. All these geared towards making a contribution to sustainable food security in the area and creating self-reliance among communities. Subjects covered are; Agriculture extension, Agronomy, Horticulture, Farm management, Human nutrition, Agro-forestry and Animal husbandry. The pictorial below shows some training sessions.

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Nursery beds preparation

Crops planted in rows:

A good mix of manure and top soil

Maize

Hedgerow with local Thou tree seedlings Figure

Nutrition practicals:

sorghum

Tree seedlings in a nursery

Meals preparation

For a detailed report, refer to the June-September2007 Agriculture training report

Rice contract farming The rice project in Aweil County is operating on a cost recovery scheme for 470 rice contract farmers. A total of 11MT of rice seeds was purchased locally and distributed to the beneficiaries to plant 75 acres in Yargot, 50 acres in Wunlang, 80acres in Mariam payam and 30 acres in Mangok. Planting took place in June to July 2007. Cultivation was however negatively affected as only a few acres were cultivated. People put all their

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hope for land cultivation on the government tractor that was provided for Aweil East County. After just ploughing about 50 acres, the tractor broke down; leaving the farmers waiting for mechanical breakdown to be rectified for the work to resume. Work did not resume. However, cultivation in Mariam payam was not affected. The 160 farmers supported by IAS in 2007 have managed to cultivate 80 acres of rice. In Mangok, Wunlang and Yargot, the little cultivated rice was swept away by floods. The flood resulted from heavy rains that pounded the area in July to September. Rice among other crops cultivated was damaged by the flood water.

Contact farmers training Training of contact farmers: 80 contact farmers have been trained on the basics of modern farming and equipped with seeds and tools. Training was conducted in Wunlang, Yargot and Mariam payams in July and August. Two trainings for 40 farmers were conducted in Mariam payam while Yargot and Wunlang have had one training and 20 contact farmers trained per payam. The farmers have been equipped with practical skills for modern cultivation and have utilised the knowledge in home vegetable gardens. In Mariam Payam, farmers have planted sorghum, maize and vegetable crops in rows. The contact farmers have also formed into a cooperative society and have cultivated jointly one acre of rice.

Agro forestry and fruit trees 2000 mangoes seedlings have been raised in Mariam payam and distributed in August to 1000 households. 1900 eucalyptus tree seedlings were raised since March and distributed in August to 1000 households. A few eucalyptus and mangoes seedlings were planted at Achiek agriculture training centre. Capacity building in land tenure and natural resource management This is a six months pilot project conducted by IAS in partnership with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Wunlang payam in Aweil East county. It started in February 2007and completed in July 2007.

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The project has achieved the following outputs:  Bomas Organised into representative Boma Development Associations (BDCs);  Adequate mechanisms for access to land and natural resources, ii) restitution of rights and iii) land/property disputes identified;  Communities and other stakeholders capacity to use these mechanisms strengthened;  Capacity of the BDC to engage in the participatory assessment and planning process developed;  Women participation in public institutions responsible for land administration and land policy development enhanced;  Trained and well-informed resource management groups established at boma level able to handle natural resource management and development interventions;  Boma land and resource management plans developed. Other activities Flood assessment After the general assessment by UN and NGOs in Awulwic village where 3658 household IDPs were registered, displacement due to floods extended to the villages in Yargot payam. This prompted a separate assessment conducted by International Aid Services from 5th to 9th September 2007. Villages assessed were Langic, Atuekcok , Halbull, Nyioric,Mathiort, Akuemkou Lieth anguei, Kunyuk, Anguek, Kwenwir Kar Marial and Wunliet; all in the lowland of Yargot. Households registered as displaced were 416. Tabulated data provides more information of the affected villages. S/N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total household

Village Halbull Nyioric Mathiat Kar Marial Wunliet Akuemkou Kurnyuk Anguek Kwenwir Langic Atuekcok Liethanguei

Payam Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot Yargot

Households affected 23 69 3 40 13 5 80 52 53 50 20 8 416

Kurnyuk village is most affected with total households displaced as 80. Nyioric follows with 69 families while Mathiat has 8 families suffering the floods. Most of the displaced families by the time of the assessment were living with their relatives in Akuem. A chief representing returnee households in Yargot visited IAS appealing for philanthropic attention to the affected villages.

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It is anticipated that the number of displaced families will increase by October 2007. At the time of the assessment, the flood was still increasing. At Awulwic, families from flood affected areas of Mangok, Mariam and Maduany payam were still wadding on water to access Awulwic displacement camp.

We can still trace the route leading from our ruined homes despite the water on the way.

Deserted homes in Awulwic village: some families have camped by the roadside; Akuem- Aweil road Awulwic village.

Crop situation Sorghum in flooded villages has lodged in water, a situation which puts the affected families food insecure in the following year 2008. In Wunlang payam, rice field in Adiorgot village is completely submerged and this may result to a total loss of the rice cultivated by more than 100 rice contract farmers supported by IAS in 2007. The same situation applies for rice farmers in Yargot-Dalabal rice fields and in Mangok Payam as well.

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IAS extension worker assessing the damage on a flooded rice field in Yargot payam

Plans for the 4th quarter # 1 3 5 6

Activities

Time frame

Project Remarks budget(NSP) Continuation of agriculture October to December 1153 Funds workshops for contact farmers 2007 available Monitoring of rice farmers October to December 2007 Post harvest crop Assessment October to December 500 2007 Feasibility assessment for November to 500 micro-credit project December 2007 TOTAL 2153

By: J. Mwirigi Agriculture project coordinator - BEG

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