Deal allocates K1mil to help people get into agro projects

THE Enga government has given K1 million to the National Development Bank to promote small businesses in agriculture in the province.
Bank managing director Moses Liu said funds should be ready next month for the people to access.
Provincial administrator Dr. Samson Amean said it followed the memorandum of agreement signed between the bank and the province on Wednesday to roll out a credit guarantee scheme to promote small agriculture businesses in Enga.
“We’d like to see this programme sustained over a longer period so that it’s easy for the people to access anytime, where they can make meaningful contribution,” Amean said.
Amean said they were looking at expanding agriculture in the province.
“For a long time, the province have been looking at getting our people to involve in the cash crop industry.
“We’ve tried potato, wheat.
“Major success was coffee because it is an established industry but we’d like to get into vegetable farming,” Amean said.
“That’s where more of the business opportunities will be.
“In that regard, the Enga provincial government has been looking for possible markets, which was challenging.
“We have a partnership with the Israeli firm Innovative Agro Industry (IAI) and they are into agriculture. We are targeting specific crops like strawberry, potato, broccoli and things that can be able to market.”