(Rumbek) – The Lakes State government has officially banned the distribution of imported seeds to local farmers, directing all agricultural partners, including international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to purchase seeds from local producers instead.
Speaking to local media, the State Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment, Poth Majak Daljang, said the decision followed repeated calls for agricultural partners to prioritise seeds grown by South Sudanese farmers, a call that, he said, had largely gone unheeded.
“At first, we were campaigning for partners to purchase our local seeds, but this has not been implemented,” Majak said. “This year, I have suspended the distribution of foreign seeds.”
According to the minister, many of the imported seeds never reach the intended beneficiaries—subsistence and small-scale farmers. He noted that discussions had taken place between the state government and FAO, resulting in an agreement to shift support towards local seed sourcing.
“We held a meeting with the governor and FAO, and agreed to start buying seeds from our local farmers,” he stated.
However, challenges remain. The minister pointed out that most local farmers sell seeds by volume rather than weight, often using basins or cups rather than standard kilogramme measurements. This makes it difficult to align with international procurement standards.
“When you are trading with an international body like FAO, you must use standard measurements. But our farmers don’t have weighing scales,” Majak said.
He explained that prices vary widely across local markets. This inconsistency presents challenges for market integration and pricing transparency.
The minister said efforts are underway to introduce basic commercial standards among rural producers.
“We want to practise commercial farming. This calls for using weighing scales and unified pricing. Our farmers need training so we can standardise our seed products,” he added. “We don’t want to be cheated, and we don’t want to cheat anyone either.”
The policy shift has been welcomed by local producers. Mark Manyang Ater, a farmer and manager of Warpiu Family Farm in Lakes State, said the government’s move is both timely and necessary. He noted that NGO distributed seeds often arrive late and are not suitable for the region’s climatic conditions.
“Many of the imported seeds are not functional here. Some don’t adapt to our soil or weather, and they are very different from the varieties we preserve locally,” he said.
He encouraged fellow farmers to focus on indigenous crops such as locally preserved groundnuts, sorghum (dura), and okra, which he described as more reliable and suited to the area’s conditions.
