Indian troops hold agriculture awareness programme in Sudan’s disputed Abyei

In a significant outreach effort under the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, The Indian Battalion on Friday executed a transformative agricultural initiative aimed at empowering local communities in Rumajak Village.

71 local residents, 37 women and 34 men, took part in the initiative to enhance their agricultural knowledge and practices.

The programme, led by Commander of the Rumajak Company Operating Base, focused on promoting sustainable agricultural methods and fostering self-reliance among the local population.

The Abyei Area is a border area between South Sudan and Sudan that has been granted “special administrative status” by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict (Abyei Protocol) in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War.

In October of 2024, India troops held another outreach programme in Abyei.

They conducted a comprehensive awareness session on the Do’s and Don’ts of Pregnancy for the women of Rumajak village.

The initiative is aimed at improving maternal health in the region. As many as 24 women and nine girls from the local community attended the session.

The session conducted by Indian troops was led by Captain Jaspreet Kaur, leader of the coveted Female Engagement Team, and Major Abhijith S, Medical Officer of the Indian Battalion.

The session was focused on critical practices for maintaining a safe and healthy pregnancy, including nutritional guidelines, common health risks, and prenatal care.

To promote the importance of tracking pregnancy progress and medical check-ups, the Indian Battalion also distributed handbooks to the women who participated in the session. These handbooks will help the participants to record health information and medication schedules throughout their pregnancies.

The local woman appreciated Indian troops for conducting the session, noting that it provided crucial information that many were not aware of previously. The local women called for more such educational engagements in the future, recognising the Indian troops’ efforts in supporting the health and empowerment of their community.

The initiative was part of the Indian Battalion’s ongoing commitment to community support and humanitarian efforts in Abyei, demonstrating their broader mandate under the United Nations to promote peace, stability, and welfare.