Communities tap into rice farming

By ROSELYN ELLISON
INLAND Baining local level government (LLG) communities of Gazelle, East New Britain (ENB), are ready to tap in to rice farming.
This was made possible through a partnership with the organisation for industrial spiritual and cultural advancement (OISCA), the New Zealand volunteer service abroad (VSA) and locals.
The people gathered in Gaulim ward last Tuesday for a session with OISCA rice expert Daniel Joseph.
He said rice was not just a staple food in PNG but it could be an important crop just as other food crops to be grown for both consumption and sale.
Joseph, who has over 27 years’ experience working for OISCA, said people only needed to be equipped with the knowledge on rice farming in order to start growing their own rice.
“All agriculture sectors need to start working together with the people, share knowledge and experience with our people in the communities because they need it, especially during this challenging time,” he said.
Joseph said Papua New Guineans did not need to keep buying rice from the store when they could grow their own.
“Let us do business with farming.
“It is part of food security.
“With rice farming, you cannot go looking for buyers, buyers will come looking for you at your door step.”
Joseph urged people from the LLG to prepare their land and they would be supplied with rice seedlings from OISCA, which would be purchased by VSA for the people to start planting rice.
He said OISCA would also assist in rebuilding an existing rice mill that had been damaged years ago.