District to have centre to boost agricultural activities

By DALE LUMA
GUMINE MP Nick Kuman says a small to medium enterprise (SME) incubation centre will be set up in Dirima, Chimbu.
Kuman, who is also the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, said this during the launching of the district’s SME policy last week.
He said the centre would become an economic agricultural zone for the people of the district to sell their produce.
“Farmers will not have to go to Lae or anywhere to sell,” he said.
“The DDA (district development authority), through the incubation centre, will buy and look for a market to sell the produce.”
The district had also partnered with Fresh Produce Development Authority (FPDA) and European Federation for Food, Agriculture and Trade (Effat) to provide training and technical assistance to farmers in the district.
It had also been rolling out its SME programme in the form of funding assistance to the farmers in the district’s wards since beginning of the year.
A further K3.7 million was given to the wards that had not received their funding.
A total of K5.4 million has now been given to 45 wards in the district.
“It’s not a handout, it is the Government’s money that will be tied down,” Kuman said.
“The ward councillors and ward development committees must go through and identify farmers to go through a training programme which we in partnership with Fresh Produce and set up your accounts.
“The ward development committee now will make sure to supply a list to the SME coordinators in the district, the DA (district administrator) will approve it, give the cheque which will be brought to seed suppliers. You (farmers) can provide your own land and your own labour, the produce will be bought by the DDA.”
Kuman said the soil in the district was rich and could grow vegetables and cash crops like potatoes and onions.