District marks World Earth Day with conservation deed signing

MADANG’S Sumkar signed a conservation deed through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Kamapim Ltd last Saturday to commemorate World Earth Day.
According to USAID, the gesture through their “Lukautim Graun” programme is a way forward in addressing unsustainable land practices in Papua New Guinea as well meeting the needs of the nation’s growing population.
It reiterated that this collective agreement by landowners was a notable stance as it would greatly assist in augmenting local laws, setting penalties for infringement and map and disseminate their land boundaries in order to protect its biodiversity.
Chief of party for the Lukautim Graun programme Maurice Knight said improving the economic empowerment of rural and remote communities by providing livelihood opportunities, especially to women, could decrease their reliance on destructive resource use and protect biodiversity.
The partnership between USAID and Kamapim Lt further ensures that training is provided to the locals to boost the production rate and market of vanilla beans.
Yikmol landowner group secretary Bryan Lavate said learning the basics of growing vanilla had eased their living as rural growers and traders.
“We now have money to send our children to school, we are building better houses and buying solar panels,” he said.
This agreement sees an additional eight neighbouring clans of the Yikmol landowner group taking a step forward in protecting and conserving an estimated total of 9,387 hectares of land in the district.