Trainees learn about growing rice

National

A GROUP of 35 people from Western Highlands and Jiwaka underwent a one-week training on rice farming last week.
The training was organised by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the Chinese rice experts based at the Hati Highlands Agriculture College in Mt Hagen.
The technical team has been researching different varieties of rice and distributing rice seeds to farmers since 2010.
Rice farmer Paul Bimundi from the Kemi tribe in Mt Hagen said the training had given him confidence for success.
He said rice could grow well in PNG if the farmers received proper training.
Robert Victor Walep from Warakar in Jiwaka said he now understood the importance of rice farming.
“PNG should start growing rice and seel it at the local markets,” he said.
“This crop can be grown here so let us organise and start off in rice farming.”
Chinese upland rice project coordinator Gibson Simon said the next step was to train farmers to produce their own brown rice.
Simon said rice was a cash crop.
“Now we have the knowledge to grow it and I believe rice farming will reach the entire population,” he said.
He said training will continue to focus on Jiwaka and Western Highlands.