Grants for B’ville cocoa farmers

Business

WOMEN and young people are among the cocoa farmers in Bougainville who will benefit from grants to increase cocoa production, improve quality and strengthen market access.
Grants have been awarded to 25 cocoa farmer groups through the Bougainville partnership commodity support facility.
It is an initiative of the Autonomous Bougainville Government supported by Australia through the PNG-Australia partnership, and the New Zealand government.
The grants are between K300,000 and K500,000 with more than 150 applications received,.
The top 25 cocoa farmer groups selected include female farmers and young people.
Among those selected is the Kukurina Business Group which will use the grant to rehabilitate cocoa blocks, improve crop quality and increase levels of production from the group’s more than 25,000 cocoa trees.
Jonathan Kopas, 25, leads the group with support from treasurer Larry Augustine, secretary Hilda Kopa and vice-secretary Peninah James.
Australian High Commission’s counsellor for Bougainville Clayton Harrington said the economic benefits of the programme were obvious.
“Australia believes in the future of the Bougainville cocoa industry to improve livelihoods,” he said.

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