Farmers must train with tools: coffee official

“Training people without giving them the basic tools, equipment and materials to practice the skills they have learned is useless,” says a coffee official.
The manager of Coffee Industry Corporation’s Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (CIC-PPAP) Potaisa Hombunaka said basic tools, equipment and materials are necessary to support all kinds of training given to farmers.
“This is why we give tools like hand pulpers, pruning saws, scatters which farmers cannot afford. They pay a five per cent or K50 only of the total cost of around K1000 to take ownership of the items.”
Hombunaka said this is one reason for the tools, equipment and materials intervention program of PPAP coffee funded by a loan facility with World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with support funding from PNG Government.
The coffee manager was speaking at the launch of tools distribution to 210 growers by Niugini Coffee, Tea and Spices Ltd (NCTSL), at Mumeng Station on Friday 16 March, 2018. The farmers operate under co-partner Mato Coffee Cooperative.
The lead partner will begin distributing tools like bush knives, bow saws, secateurs or scissors and hand pulpers to its 1062 farmers rehabilitating their gardens in four districts of Morobe namely Bulolo, Nawaeb, Houn Gulf and Markham.
The coffee rehabilitation project is financed by PPAP coffee with K1.9 million. The area of coverage is 531 hectares.
According to the CEO of Mumeng District Development Authority (DDA) Tae Guambelek coffee was first introduced into the district by German Lutheran Missionaries in 1914. The brand was Blue Mountain.
“It has been 100 years now and coffee has been a stronghold of the Mumeng people.’
“Coffee sent our early leaders to high schools to get educated and onto tertiary institutions like colleges and universities.”
For these reasons the district administrator urged his people to continue hold onto coffee despite the high expectations from Wafi Gold mine noted as one of the top 10 in the world.
The acting Provincial DAL advisor Ken Elonaga revealed status of coffee production in Morobe by districts.
He said of the five districts Menyamya is currently leading followed by Kabwum, Nawaeb, Bulolo and Wau.
He therefore challenged the people of Mumeng LLG in Wau District to focus on coffee redevelopment work introduced by PPAP coffee through lead partner NGCTSL a business arm of re-known agri-business firm Agmark Ltd.
NGCTSL is mobilising the famers to increase production of high quality and link them to an established overseas market though organic certificate arrangements.
“We can’t change the world market price but the same price we buy at Lae will be transferred to your house door,” says project coordinator Johnny Napo.
The gathering had a good representation from Coffee Industry Corporation, provincial DAL office, District Development Authority and Mumeng Police Station commander’s office.
The coffee rehabilitation is a PNG Government project financed by a loan facility from World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development. The Coffee Industry Corporation Limited is the custodian of the project through the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.