Farmers to enjoy equal distribution of wealth under plan

Cash crop and food crop farmers in Northern will enjoy equal distribution of wealth under the 20-year Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Development Strategic Plan, Agriculture and Livestock division advisor Davidson Jeune says.
Jeune, who took the lead in developing the plan, said it was a new and innovative approach.
“I attended the district development authority two-week training in Port Moresby where three days of it was spent on strategic planning and that is how I decided to implement it in my province. Our province will have a strong security base and it will grow the economic, social and personnel security,” he said.
“The plan will provide equal distribution of wealth among individuals, farming household and communities.
“It is a long-term plan and it requires a lot of funding. We will be talking to National Planning (Department) in March next year to secure more funding for the implementation.
“We are looking at it as a record we have set because no provincial government has undertaken such a plan.”
Jeune said the plan has taken into account five major tree cash crops, oil palm, coffee, cocoa, coconut and rubber.
Minor cash crops include spices such as bird eye chilly, ginger, cardamom and pepper, as well as horticulture.
He said the plan would also take into account human resources capacity-building, more staff houses, dinghies and vehicles.
Jeune said some of the stakeholders included PNG Cocoa Board, Coffee Industry Corporation, Oil Palm Industry Corporation and the National Agriculture Research Institute.
The plan would be submitted to the provincial management team, Oro agriculture council and the provincial executive council.
The agriculture council is represented by the wider community.
The council chairman is Governor Gary Juffa and the deputy is provincial administrator Sam Vegogo.