By WATSON GABANA
Developers of the Ramu Nickel Project in Madang province have introduced rice cultivation to villagers in mining impact areas.
Villagers from Basamuk in the Raicoast to Kurumbukari in the hinterlands of Usino/Bundi are cultivating the crop in a big way in their villages.
"I know Chinese eat a lot of rice. That is why I want to plant more rice and sell to them," Tuma Rugei a farmer from Danagari village said.
Villagers of the Kurumbukari special mining lease area are venturing into large-scale rice farming with the assistance of Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited, the developer of the Ramu Nickel Project.
The people have been farming rice in the area for over five years but due to lack of roads and infrastructure development; a lot of farmers have been facing difficulties transporting their rice to Walium and Brahman Catholic stations.
Since the Nickel Project came into operation, developers have built a road and are helping the landowners to cultivate rice in large quantities for their own consumption and to supply to the mine.
MCC has assisted a total of 33 farmers in the Kurumbukari area with 6 bags of hybrid rice seeds, 20kg of soya beans and 10kg of mung beans, at a total cost of K1000.00. The company is going to purchase a rice mill for the farmers.
Mr Adam Bande, a rice specialist, coordinates the rice project in Kurumbukari and assists farmers with the technical knowledge in rice farming and production.
Mr Bande said that rice is now a staple part of the PNG diet and large amount of rice is being imported every year into the country due to the high demand.
"Every year PNG imports around 203 000 tonnes of rice worth K56 million and a family unit in PNG consumes around 158 kg of rice every year. This amount of rice can be grown here in PNG as there are large areas of durable land available and we are capable of producing up to 5 tonnes per hectare if these lands are being utilized. Such initiative is good for the country therefore we are doing that at Kurumbukari, with assistance from the multi-billion kina Ramu Nickel Project," he said.
Mr Bande has selected 3 farmers from Kurumbukari who have cleared 100m x 100m area of land for rice planting as model farmers.
Two hectares of land at Danagari village, near Kurumbukari, has been identified for a model farm.
Mr Bande plans to use the model farmers and the model farm to increase rice productivity in the area. He said the model farm would be an information centre for agricultural activities and a first hand information centre for rural farmers from Kurumbukari to Usino and to the Raicoast area.
These areas will be affected by the operations of the Ramu Nickel Mine therefore rice farming will be a good initiative to sustain their livelihoods.
He also said other agricultural trials and research can be conducted here and urged the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) to work closely with the local farmers.
At the expected mine-site in Kurumbukari, arable land outside the mine-lease area have been identified and mapped out for this initiative. The Chinese government will send technical and professional people through the mining agreement to assist the local people farm rice.
When the people are relocated to Miavi and Danagari relocation centres, families will be introduced into rice cultivation. They will grow rice and sell them direct to the miners.
The Ramu Nickel Project is deemed to have a lifespan of more than 40 years and rice farming will be a good initiative that can sustain the livelihoods of the people and also an income earning opportunity.
Mr Hao Zhaochun, assistant manager of Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited said they were committed to helping the local community benefit from skills and expertise in other areas as well.







 

 

 

Previous | Back to Top | Next