Farming Sector in Yei Under Pressure from Over 200,000 Returnees

(YEI) – Over 20,000 South Sudanese returnees have arrived in Yei River County without formal repatriation assistance, creating pressure on local food resources and agricultural capacity, according to local authorities.

The Director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in Yei, Mabe Moses, informed United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) officials during a briefing also attended by the County Commissioner, that the majority of the returnees lack basic food and agricultural tools. He said the arrivals returned voluntarily, mainly from neighbouring countries such as Uganda, without organised support.

Mabe urged a significant increase in investment and intervention in the agriculture sector to meet rising demand. He recommended modern farming practices as a way to sustainably expand food production.

Despite the difficulties faced by the returnees, he said local farmers have continued to supply food to Juba, reinforcing Yei’s role as a key agricultural centre in Central Equatoria State.

The County Commissioner, Emmanuel Taban Seme, led a meeting with officials from UNFAO and local department heads to discuss strategies to support farming in the five payams of Yei River County. He commended UNFAO’s ongoing support and called on the agency to shift from general training to providing tangible farming tools and support.

“Many of our farmers have already been trained. What we need now are inputs, tractors and tools to actually farm. The returnees need more than just knowledge. they need resources,” Commissioner Emmanuel said.

He added that with the recent voluntary returns from Uganda, it is time to revive agriculture to avoid future food shortages and strengthen Yei’s position as the “food basket” of South Sudan.

Meshak Malo, UNFAO’s Country Representative, praised the openness of Yei’s local leadership and assured continued collaboration. He committed that UNFAO would provide modern agricultural machinery to farming cooperatives in the region to help increase productivity.

“We stand ready to support Yei’s efforts in food production and contribute to South Sudan’s national food security,” Malo said.

However, the Director of Agriculture in Yei River County, Asiki Isaac, revealed that most of the county’s available tractors are no longer operational and beyond repair. He called for urgent replacement of equipment to avoid a total collapse in local production capacity.

Overview of the situation