25/05/2026
YAMBIO - King Atoroba Peni Rikito Gbudue of the Azande Kingdom has launched an ambitious palm tree planting initiative aimed at boosting local palm oil production and reducing reliance on imports from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The project will see the planting of about 35,000 palm trees at the kingdom’s headquarters in Bazungua Payam, according to the monarch.
Atoroba said the initiative was prompted by the frequent movement of local farmers across the border to purchase palm oil, reflecting a domestic production shortfall.
“Most of the farmers go to Congo every Saturday to buy palm oil. It shows that we don’t have enough within the kingdom,” he said, adding that the project is intended to encourage every household to grow palm trees.
The king also urged citizens to prioritise agriculture as a means of addressing South Sudan’s economic challenges, noting that reliance on oil revenues and external employment opportunities was proving increasingly unsustainable.
“This call is not only for the Azande Kingdom, it is for South Sudanese, we need to focus on agriculture,” he said.
