Locals go into farming

Islands

THE people of Hagogohe constituency in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville are venturing into cocoa farming as their main economic activitiy, local MP Robert Sawa says.
Sawa told The National that his government was concentrating on sustainable economic activities to put money into the pockets of local people and build a strong revenue generation initiative at the ground level.
“Our internal revenue is not healthy and with the financial constraints our country is facing, we believe the best we can do for the country is by building a strong and sustainable revenue generation initiative at the ground level,” he said.
Sawa said a strong and sustainable revenue generation initiative would also contribute to the country’s economic growth.
“The people are now venturing into cocoa farming and we have two cocoa nurseries in each of the 12 village assemblies,” he said.
“In each village assembly, we have established a cooperative society and there are 12 cooperative societies that come under Hagogohe Integrated Resource Development Corporation that my government established as the umbrella company to serve the people.
“The umbrella company will look at how it will source funding to help the cooperative societies and facilitate exports of cocoa, collect revenue and pay dividends to the 12 cooperative societies which will then pay members who are the locals involved in cocoa farming.
“So when we export and bring revenue into the country, living standards of the people will change because they will have money to look after themselves.
“Also the revenue brought into the country from the exports will be able to strengthen our cash flow and strengthen our economy.
“That is what we want to do for ourselves and for Bougainville.
“We are actually going to plant 140,000 cocoa seedlings in Hagogohe and will continue to venture into such other sustainable economic activities acros Bougainville.”