By BONNIE ABOLA
TWO old men shed tears of joy when they were given K2.3 million to rekindle their dream.
Langim Ompet and Noel Kola are founding fathers of the Zifasing cattle ranch.
More than 30 years ago, they had an idea of pushing ahead and improving the ranch due to financial constrains, it disintegrated.
But on Wednesday, the Aational Agricultural Development Programme (NADP) granted them K2.3 million at their village in the Markham district.
The cheque was presented to them by Member for Huon district Sasa Zibe.
The 30-year-old cattle ranch was the initiative of local village farmers and landowners, who with the aid of the Government in 1993, was one of five farming projects in the country to be funded by the Agriculture Bank.
The other projects in the country – Yakuasa in Madang, Sugu in the Southern Highlands, Balawai in the Central province and Yariba Bulumakau in Oro province – failed due to unclear reasons.
Mr Ompet and three- time chairman of the ranch Mr Kola shed tears of joy at the occasion saying, now the land owners and farmer’s uphill struggle had paid off.
“What started out as an idea had grown and now that we have this new funding to rejuvenate the farm, I urge you board of directors to maintain accountability and responsibility in the running of the farm. This is a precious privileged for the people of Zifasing,” Mr Ompet said.
Two million kina would be for the revitalising of the Zifasing cattle ranch and K300,000 would develop and maintain small holder cattle farms through the assistance of livestock development co-operation (LDC).
Mr Zibe stressed that the people should cooperate with him to ensure that agriculture in their area would expand productively.
He said Papua New Guinea was among the richest in natural resources and land mass so there was no excuse for people to be poor.
“I appeal to you all to work together,” he said “Whoever is hungry in this country is mainly because he is lazy.”
Mr Zibe called on all landowners to mobilise their land, get involved in private/public partnership initiatives to promote agriculture work in the Markham district.
He said there was a further K1 million available for agriculture and other priority areas.
He said in the district budget had funding allocations as well but the people had to submit proposals to him so that they can be supported financially and operationally.