Lainya County Farmers Urged to Form Cooperatives to Access Funding

(LAINYA COUNTY) – Farmers in Lainya County of Central Equatoria State have been advised to form cooperative groups to increase food production and secure support before the next farming season.

Bidal Cons, the director for agriculture in Lainya County, said in a recent interview that farming in groups will help local producers access funding and technical help from the government and international partners.

He said that when farmers are organised into cooperatives to manage their projects, it becomes easier to improve their harvests and find better markets for their produce.

Bidal called on the national and state governments to make supporting farmers at the local level a priority. He noted that the national government has reportedly set aside funds to support agriculture this year.

He suggested that these funds should be given to counties as grants for farmers or used to provide tools, seeds, and chemicals to kill pests. He also mentioned that improving roads and markets is necessary to help the farming sector grow across the country.

The agriculture director also encouraged farmers to start clearing their land before the rainy season begins. He asked non governmental organisations working in the sector to provide seeds and tools to the community early.

In the same area, Emmanuel Khamis, who leads the Community Action against Poverty Cooperative Society, said his group is preparing 200 acres of land for various crops.

He said the cooperative has already started ploughing 50 acres and plans to reach the full 200 acres for the upcoming seasons. Khamis said that with enough support, his group aims to establish one of the largest farms in Lainya County to grow both food and cash crops.

Khamis also asked South Sudanese leaders and citizens to take active steps in farming to reduce hunger. These local efforts follow a meeting on 17th January 2026 where the national ministers for agriculture and finance agreed to focus on farming to help the economy.