Turkey extends helping hand to South Sudan farmers

By Benjamin Takpiny

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - Turkey’s state-run development agency donated seeds and agriculture equipment to farmers in South Sudan on Wednesday.

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) donated 500 kilograms (over 1,100 pounds) each of peanut, sorghum, maize, tomato, onion, okra, and sesame seeds.

Equipment, including rakes, axes, sickles, and hoes, were also handed over to some 500 farmers at a ceremony organized in collaboration with South Sudan’s Agriculture and Food Security Ministry and the South Sudan Farmers Union.

“Turkey is working closely with the government of South Sudan and all relevant authorities for the benefit of the people of this country,” Turkish Ambassador Tugrul Biltekin said at the event.

He said this was not the first such initiative by Turkey, with three similar projects in 2019 reaching some 1,000 farmers in South Sudan.

“Turkey will continue to help South Sudan not just in the agriculture sector, but also in health, education, and other development sectors,” the envoy added.

Turgut Gazigil, the deputy coordinator of TIKA’s office in South Sudan’s capital Juba, was also present on the occasion.

TIKA has completed 18 development projects in South Sudan this year with the cooperation of the country’s authorities, the agency said in a statement.