Kiir urges youth to embrace agriculture instead of ‘holding unprofitable conversations’

JUBA – President Salva Kiir Mayardit has appealed to the young people to take up the work of agriculture in order to enhance domestic food supply in a country broken by a deadly civil war fought largely along ethnic lines.

The South Sudanese president made the remarks while touring his farm at Luri where thousands of state militias were stationed ahead of the December 2013 violence in the capital Juba that triggered the deadly South Sudanese civil war.

“His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Saturday called upon the young people to take up agriculture in order to strengthen domestic agricultural production, as part of ensuring home based food supply,” the presidency said in a statement.

Kiir “urged the young people not to spend most of their time on leisure, playing cards, and taking tea the whole day under the trees, holding unprofitable conversations. But rather use the free time they get from their formal employment to engage in agricultural activities and other self-sustainable activities that are productive and profitable.”

The president said “deliberate efforts will also be made to support the young people who are not in formal employment to enable them create jobs for themselves and also employ others” and appealed “to the young people to always be patient, strong and courageous.”

President Kiir further visited the construction site and thanked the contractors who are building the school in Luri, he has donated in the name of Sultan Denis, the Paramount Chief of Luri.