Agriculture is the way forward

I TASTED the Kuk Chips manufactured by a factory located 50m from my village and want to share my view.
I commend the Ialibu–Pangia District Development Authority, SHP government and the Israeli company for their investment that has created economic hub for rural communities.
Giving economic independence to our society will change the face of ever growing social disorders.
For the last 46 years of independence, we have looked at top-down economic plan and marginalised the capacity and capabilities of our 80 per cent rural communities’ manpower.
This initiative is a bottom-up economic boosting strategy.
When we have effective and efficient bottom-up and top-down economic plan then there will be an equilibrium at a certain degree.
That will draw every citizen towards the middle income earned family and will assist equal distribution of wealth.
Such results will encourage our agriculture activities in PNG to have impact on micro and macroeconomic scale.
Well, let’s go back to the drawing board of English Potato Factory operations today and identify what was really needed to spearhead this initiative forward.
The real factor that should be maintained in this project is the primary production and shipment supply chain.
Who are the primary producers?
Local farmers are the primary producers.
Secondary producer is an Israeli company operating a factory.
If there is high demand for supply in PNG or overseas markets from tertiary producers then who will meet this mounting pressure?
Secondary producer will be under pressure and it will pass that mounting pressure to primary producers who are local farmers.
To accommodate this demand, local farmers should have enough production capacity.
Which means they should have big farms.
At this point, farmers have limited resources to expend their capacity.
Therefore, the Government should help the local farmers and modernise the PNG agricultural system.
Modernising agriculture, is simple as equipping local farmers with necessary materials such as supplying our farmers with tools, ploughing tractors, insecticides spray pumps, seedlings and booklets.
Such assistance will pave the way and also boost the spirit of farming in large scale.
There will be no breakdown in supply-demand chain but it will have stable linear regression.
Once again, thank you to all the parties mentioned for rehabilitating the idea of farming that was in slumber for a good number of years since independence.
This reminds me of the story of Mahatma Gandhi from India who revolutionised India through farming and his legacy remains today.
My challenge to concerned authorities is, what have you done for your district, electorate and country to create your legacy with the power you have.
I do not doubt or undermined your leadership but want everyone to redirect their focus.
Please produce your fruits from your gifts and be blessing to others.

Gibson Lambea Mai,
Ialibu-Pangia Electorate