Centre helps women in agriculture

RESOURCE centres for women rolled out in Morobe four years ago are benefitting more than 1,200 women in agriculture (WIA) to date, an official says.
WIA PNG president Maria Linibi said resource centres were a central meeting place for women farmers to gather to share information or meet with stakeholders and exchange materials.
“The market environment is changing and it is here at the resource centres where we up-skill women in agriculture to keep them up to date with these changes,” she said.
“These resource centres were established in villages so that it’s easy for mothers to access at their most convenient time, which is usually in the night.
“We carry out financial literacy training, we hold meetings about challenges affecting them as women farmers.
“It is here at the resource centres that partners drop materials and conduct other important trainings and projects.”
Linibi said there were about 28 resource centres in Morobe alone, run by either the National Agriculture and Resource Institute (NARI), or local communities.
She said one recent programme through these resource centres was teaching mothers how to use an android phone.
“Most farmers are still illiterate on using simple technology.”