Rise in female coffee farmers
The National, Thursday 11th April, 2013
By AUGUSTINE DOMINIC
FEMALE coffee farmers in the Henganofi district, Eastern Highlands, recorded the highest number of membership and participation in organised coffee farmer groups.
Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) acting chief executive officer Dr Mark Kenny revealed this recently in a brief report of 2012 district by district coffee rehabilitation and nursery programme.
The report said Henganofi recorded 71 female members of the 11 farmer groups trained by CIC on coffee quality and management.
Coming second was the Unggai-Bena district with 27 female members out of a total of four trained groups.
Kenny said female coffee farmers are an important part of the PNG coffee industry as they play a significant role in harvesting and processing of coffee and much of their efforts were not recognized in the previous years.
He said coffee was regarded as belonging to the men and only the men had the upper hand in controlling coffee income, however, CIC was developing a platform for women to advance in the industry.
Kenny said the PNG Women in Coffee was an avenue created in 2012 by the CIC for women in all walks of life in the coffee industry to congregate and advocate for women’s participation.
“I congratulate the women in Henganofi district for their progress in participating in organised coffee groups,” he said.
Kenny added that the traditional coffee market was shifting towards promoting specific coffee farmers groups and the women coffee group can become one of them.
PNG Women in Coffee is affiliated with the Brazil based International Women in Coffee and has drawn over 60 female memberships from around the country.
According to CIC senior project officer Cathy Pianga, work is underway to create a desk for the PNG Women in Coffee at the CIC headquarters in Goroka.
She said the initiative was in accordance with the revised 2010 PNG coffee industry strategic plan and focused on increasing coffee production and quality in the country, including the enhancing of women’s role in the industry.