Poverty and hunger are commonplace in South Sudan. “Food security” is a term used to measure the extent to which a people group have access to safe and nutritious food. A primary objective of SEA Partners is to develop methods of farming and forestry that will insure food security in Boma. For the last 11 years, we have trained this Murle community to grow their own food and to become less reliant on the United Nation’s food distributions.
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| Maize (corn) is a staple of the Murle in Boma and is the most important crop grown in our demonstration farm. Over the years we have found an excellent corn seed that can produce up to 3 cobs per stalk. |
Food Security: A Real-Life Testimony
I will never forget the comment I received in August 2017 from the chief of the Murle village in Upper Boma. He said, “Thank you SEA Partners for all your help. This will be the first year I can provide enough food for my entire family.” Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. You support is providing food security and truly changing lives in South Sudan.
People in the United States often ask me, “If the Murle have always farmed, why do you need a demonstration farm?” It is a great question.
It is true that the Murle know how to plant and harvest food, but their diet has been somewhat limited. For example, they have always planted corn, beans and cassava (a root similar to Yucca) but lack other nutritious vegetables. Two years ago, we introduced sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and squash. These new additions have become very popular and are now seen growing throughout the village. Also, last year we introduced avocado trees to Boma. While we will not get any fruit for 2-3 years, we hope that avocado will become a nutritious staple in this community. By introducing these new items, the people of Boma can now have access to a more diverse variety of fruit and vegetables that will improve their health.
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| Pruning trees, at the early stages of development, will reap huge rewards for these avocado trees in the future. Vincent, our Project Manager, is able to prune the fruit trees to ensure the best future harvests. |
Training farmers to grow their own food is one of the reasons SEA Partners exists. We still have many challenges facing us as we strive to improve the food security and farming program. In March 2018, a team of men from Texas will be going to Boma to set up the initial phase of an irrigation system for the farm. It will be the first one of its kind in the Boma area and will represent a huge step forward in training the farmers and increasing the farm’s production. Please pray for the team’s success in making this irrigation program a reality.
May God continue to bless you for your prayers and support.
Donnie Brake, Ed.D.
President
PS. The work in Boma began in 2005 and it continues developing new farming programs. If you feel led to give a gift to train farmers in Boma, please follow this link. Thank you.
