Isiah drives cocoa farming in Yangoru

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
ISIAH Sanduma graduated with honours in political science at university, but is now known for his involvement in the cocoa industry.
In fact people call him the Farmer Boy in his Yangoru-Saussia district of East Sepik. He today supplies hybrid-clone cocoa and conducts awareness on the farm produce, encouraging people to earn a living by growing cocoa.
Isiah, 37, is from Bukinare village in West Yangoru, East Sepik. He is the eldest in a family of six – three boys and three girls. He is now married with four children.
He completed his primary and secondary in the province before he was selected to pursue a course on political science at the University of Papua New Guinea. He graduated with honors.
Cocoa has always been part of his family. His father was the first cocoa buyer and fermentry owner in Buki, West Yangoru, East Sepik. He supported his family including Isiah through what he earned from cocoa.
Isiah admits his education “right up to university was funded by (money earned from) cocoa. Therefore I believe in being self-reliant and (earning a living from) farming cocoa.”
Isiah began his cocoa project in 2013 after he was assisted by the West Yangoru Local Level Government.
Isiah was also assisted by the Coconut Cocoa Industry (CCI) Murunas in Madang to set up a cocoa nursery and establish the Budwood garden.

“My education right up to university was funded by (money earned from) cocoa. Therefore I believe in being self-reliant and (earning a living from) farming cocoa.”

His cocoa nursery and budwood garden were certified by the PNG Cocoa Board. He was given the licence to operate as a commercial cocoa nursery farmer.
He is now engaged by the ESP governor`s office under the Smart Cocoa Programme to supply 18 hybrid clones in the province. He has already supplied 200,000 seedlings including hybrid cocoa to the farmers.
He believes that the cocoa development project is a major economic impact project supported and approved by the Government through the Department of Treasury under the Sepik Plain Economic Zone.
“The project has enhanced stronger community partnership to serve a common goal of maintaining family ties through respect for each individual member of the community to minimise social issues.
“I am happy that the project will help make the people in the community be self-reliant.”
The major challenge he still faces is the availability of funds to drive the project and supply seedlings to farmers in rural areas.
He supports the Government’s emphasis on agriculture but funding needs to be allocated to skilled people to carry out training to achieve the Government`s plan.
Isiah welcomed the launching of the European Union grant by Prime Minister James Marape last month, saying it would be a big boost to the morale of the people in the province focused on cocoa farming.
Isiah wants to contribute as much as he can towards that ambitious development plan.