Yei Graduate Turns to Farming, Records Promising Rice Results

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – A young graduate in Yei River County who embraced agriculture as a source of employment and economic livelihood is now celebrating promising results from his rice farming and agribusiness venture.

Jamba Peter Mariata, a South Sudanese graduate with a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration from Uganda Christian University who ventured into farming over the past years, says his rice, cassava and groundnut crops are showing encouraging progress despite challenges posed by changing weather conditions.

Speaking to Access Radio on Monday Afternoon, Peter said several of his farm crops are currently at the flowering stage, raising hopes for a successful harvest in the coming months.

He urged young people across the country to invest in agriculture as a practical solution to unemployment, food insecurity and poverty.

“I am telling the youth that, with the available spaces, they should go and farm because we are the ones with the energy. Through agriculture and our farming experience, we can address food insecurity and reduce the importation of food crops from other countries,” Peter said.

Peter emphasized that education level or social status should not prevent young people from engaging in farming, noting that agriculture remains an important source of income and sustainable livelihoods.

According to him, he has cultivated about three feddans of land planted with crops including rice, cassava and groundnuts, while also growing sugar cane and vegetables as cash crops.

The young farmer appealed to government institutions and humanitarian organizations to provide young farmers with technical support, training on climate-smart agriculture and better access to markets.

He also called on the government to improve security, road infrastructure and access to farm machinery, including tractors, to enhance agricultural production.

Peter further urged development partners and NGOs to continue supporting farmers with quality seeds, farming tools and other essential resources needed to boost food production in the area.

Agriculture remains the main source of livelihood for many communities in Yei River County, with local farmers increasingly encouraging youth participation as a pathway to economic empowerment and food self-sufficiency.