Extension officers to attend training

 A GROUP of coffee extension officers will attend a week-long training on farming and processing techniques for farmers. 

The Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP), operating under Coffee Industry Corporation, will run the training from February 22 to 26. 

The Coffee Research Institute in Aiyura, Eastern Highlands, will host the gathering.

PPAP project manager Potaisa Hombunaka said the training was important because big plantations which used to provide training for extension officers were gone. It is to improve and strengthen the capacity of extension officers who are key personnel on the ground to train growers and farmers on improved farming techniques and sustainability issues.

The industry used to have an adequate pool of coffee extension officers but the number decreased when the CIC amalgamated extension with research in 2003. 

There are now two extension officers per province. 

Participants for the training will represent Monpi Coffee, Coffee Connections, Tarebo, NGHCE, CDA Goroka, CDA Gumine, Kosem, Timbuka and PAMSL. 

The training will focus on the role of an extension officer, understanding coffee varieties (arabica and robusta), coffee rehabilitation involving management of young and old coffee trees and management of nurseries.

The course will also cover harvesting process in wet and dry mill processing, cupping processes, CIC programme, marketing of coffee, certification standards and revised green bean standards.