South Sudan launches digital agriculture platforms

South Sudan on Tuesday launched digital platforms designed to leverage e-agriculture to achieve maximum farming efficiency.

Josephine Joseph Lagu, minister of agriculture and food security, said the digital package is composed of an e-registry and voucher management system, an e-extension and weather advisory mobile platform as well as a seed management system.

Joseph said the systems are designed to create a harmonized database for farmers in the country and help in the disbursement of farm inputs while the e-extension and weather advisory mobile platform will provide extension and weather advisory services to farmers and will be complemented by seed management system, which allows key actors in the seed supply chain including seed regulators, seed companies, distributors and retailers.

“For agriculture to transform to the next level, it must also be science-based, youth-driven, and more importantly digitalized. What we are witnessing today are bold steps towards digitalization of the agrarian sector in the country,” Joseph said in Juba, South Sudan’s capital.

The digital ecosystem provides a harmonized database of farmers, livestock keepers, seed producers and other stakeholders to facilitate managing beneficiaries enrolled in various interventions.

Meshack Malo, country representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization in South Sudan, said the future of farming lies in e-agriculture and technological innovations. He revealed that the digital platforms are expected to begin operating in full swing immediately and will benefit over 500,000 farmers across six states in South Sudan.