“It is a collective responsibility of all South Sudanese to fight famine”: Cleric

Wau, 16 January, 2021 / 3:03 PM

A Catholic Cleric has underscored the need for collective efforts and action in addressing famine in South Sudan and proposed farming on a large scale.

“It is a collective responsibility of all South Sudanese to fight famine by cultivation,” the Parish Priest of Mother of Mercy Deim Zubeir Parish of South Sudan’s Wau Diocese, Fr. Marko Mangu said Thursday, January 14.

Addressing himself to hundreds of local farmers, Fr. Marko advocated for hard work and encouraged large-scale production saying this would help reduce food crisis in the nine-year-old nation.

Last month, the leadership of the overseas development agency of the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, Trocaire listed South Sudan among four nations with a looming hunger pandemic due to the combined effects of drought and COVID-19 restrictions.

In the December 4 Trocaire report, five regions in South Sudan “were at risk of falling into famine early in 2021.” 

To mitigate the hunger pandemic, officials of Trocaire launched a Christmas appeal seeking support to enable them to reach out to the affected people.

In the meeting with farmers, Fr. Marko who has served as Diocesan Administrator of Wau Diocese said, “Farming that saves lives is not where you just end up harvesting two sacks of beans; you need to have abundance so that you can have enough food in your family and be able to sell far and beyond.”

“You are strong people, young and energetic and you can’t be digging a small piece of land, which is not even enough for your own family,” the South Sudanese Cleric further said.