Firm gives update on SME training

AGRICULTURE Book (AgBook) has graduated 50 participants under its financial literacy training in small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) programme in Kokopo, East New Britain, according to managing director Nicole Isifu.
AgBook, a subsidiary of Papua New Guinea Agriculture Company (PNGAC) based in Kokopo, focuses on developing local farmers to set up agriculture businesses.
Isifu told The National that the training had been an ongoing programme which they introduced last year with the support of PNGAC and since last year the number of participants had risen from 10 to more than 50 this year.
“We are targeting local farmers in the villages with this training and since last year, the number of participants increases and we’ve seen a lot of changes in terms of managing their own agriculture business,” she said.
Isifu said while farmers had the resources for setting up agriculture businesses management was key.
She said the financial literacy training had the potential to see many farmers start small businesses but technical and financial support from the agriculture sector was crucial.