3111: UN80: FAO and UNMAS Drive Agricultural Revival and Mine Clearance Across South Sudan

Ahead of the UN’s 80th anniversary, we’re shining a spotlight on the organisation’s work in South Sudan. Agriculture remains the backbone of livelihoods for many South Sudanese, yet food insecurity continues to be part of the major humanitarian emergencies in the country. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says local farmers have produced just over one million metric tonnes of food from limited cultivation, a sign of growing potential for food self-sufficiency in South Sudan. To improve agricultural productivity, another UN agency has been instrumental in clearing landmines that have contaminated farmland during years of conflict. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been reclaiming land and reopening roads, providing a vital lifeline for economic activity and humanitarian work.Joining us on Radio Miraya’s Nationwide programme are Meshack Malo, Country Representative of FAO in South Sudan, and Zehrudin Sukanovic, Chief of UNMAS South Sudan.