Kulau yoghurt, anyone?

By ROSELYN ELLISON
FARMERS in the Ramale Ward of Kokopo-Vunamani LLG in East New Britain can now make new products from their coconuts, including yoghurt.
Yes, coconut or kulau yoghurt made from the green coconut.
Here’s a quick recipe: Cut open four kulaus and pour the water into a bowl. Spoon the kulau meat into a blending machine. Add kulau water and blend it, continue the process until all the kulau meat looks like ice cream. It is ready to serve!
Other novel products introduced to the reRamale community in a recent high value coconut products processing training included:
• Virgin coconut oil (VCO) and direct micro expelling production;
• Flour production;
• Soap production;
• VCO fermentation;
• Rake making; and
• Lamp oil production

The Ramale ward was also joined by participants from Rabaul and Pomio districts in this four-day training organised and facilitated by the ENB branch of Kokonat Indastri Korporesen (Kik) working in partnership with the Kokopo district through its rural development office.
The training was conducted by Kik senior compliance officer Michael Sovek, officer in-charge of Kokpopo district rural development office Joan Magaga, Kik coconut seed garden pollinator Jack Gaula, Kokopo district coconut officer (attached with Kik) Graham Potol, rural development officer in-charge of Bitapaka LLG Lynnette Kain and Kik trainee Leah Kowi.
More than 300 people from Ramale, Vunamami, and Livuan and Bitagalip wards attended the training and some participants came all the way from Rabuana and Baii wards in the Kambui LLG in Rabaul District.
Some public servants from Sinivit LLG in Pomio district also participated in the training.
But from the 300 attendees only 85 were registered participants while the rest were observers.
Kokopo MP and Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Emil Tammur who witnessed the ceremony was impressed to see the outcome of the training.
Tammur told the people that he was not invited to the closing but attended because he saw the importance of the training.
He said coconut products were the way forward in the livelihood of ordinary village people.
“For a very long time nothing has been done to improve the standard of the coconut industry in ENB even though for over 100 years, we all have benefited from the coconut products especially in copra and it is not a new thing to us the ENB people.
“Many of us who are working and now sitting here to witness this training are the product of coconuts, meaning our parents paid our school fees by making and selling coconut (copra).”
Tammur said past leaders have not realised the importance of the coconut industry and its various products.
However, he thanked the Kik and the district administration for rolling out work on coconut to every ward in Kokopo.
Tammur also thanked Kik for relocating their head office to ENB instead of Madang, adding that the coconut was the backbone of the ENB people and it was not a mistake for Kik to establish there.
“I am so thankful to Kik for training the people on other products from the coconut which they can also sell to get an extra income for their benefit.”
He urged those who attended the training to start implementing what they had learnt.
He pointed out that about 300 different products could be made from the coconut tree which were all very useful and people could make money on every part of the palm and that was why it was called the tree of life.
Tammur said that when people started making products out of coconut they would earn an extra income and this would boost the economy.
Tammur has assured Kik that the Kokopo district would be working closely with them to develop and promote coconut industry programmes throughout all the wards in the district.
Tammur said 90 per cent of the total population of Kokopo district lived in villages and recently Covid-19 has posed big challenges to them as most were farmers who depended on the sale of cocoa and copra.
“I was here during the lockdown period and I saw how people struggled because none of us in the villages has money to buy enough food supplies for their families at that time,” Tammur said.
“And thanks to Kik for this initiative through which they have conducted trainings based on coconut products.”
Tammur also added that while Kik had their programmes Kokopo district was also focusing on integrated farming which Kik had already started with Eden Sanctuary owner Herman Valvalu.
Tammur added that the district would engage Valvalu and his integrated farm to become the main trainer for all the farmers within the Kokopo area.
He said the farmers would receive firsthand training in integrated farming on Valvalu’s farm.
Kik national manager for Industry Capacity Building Alfred Nongkas said the Ramale Ward’s involvement with the Kik and its programmes eventuated during the Covid-19 mass awareness conducted by Kokopo Vunamami Urban LLG (KVULLG) officers.
Nongkas said during the awareness people realised how important the coconut tree was to them and how they could benefit from its products.
The Ramale people grabbed the opportunity provided to learn more about what they could get from their coconut trees.
“I want to thank the ward member Joseph Warapik with his ward development committee and also Valvalu, the man who is really influencing the work of Kik among the farmers here at Ramale for allowing us to come and work with your people in the community.”
Nongkas also thanked the ENB government, Kokopo district and KVULLG for their support, adding that there was no such support in other provinces.
“I am so thankful to the ENB government and administration; they have been true to their word from day one. They gave four officers to work with us on a full time bases and all we do is meet all their work needs, allowances and logistics support.”
Nongkas also thanked Rabaul and Kokopo districts saying they were the leading districts in the work of Kik, especially Kokopo.
He added that the programmes which Kik was implementing and funding were also supported and funded by the two district administrations.
Ramale ward member Joseph Warapik said that he has seen his people suffer for many years as their local economy in the village level has dropped.
Warapik said with Kik carrying out the awareness on coconut and its 300 products he was interested and decided to take the Kik training on board for his ward.
“I am very thankful to ENB Kik programme manager Ephraim Tade and his team of officers for coming down to my ward to conduct this training. During the training our mothers have learnt how to make coconut soap, virgin coconut oil, coconut flour, coconut rakes and coconut yogurt.”
Warapik said the women would have extra money when they start producing and selling their finished products.
Meanwhile Tade said Kik would continue to support and assess the progress of the Ramale communities with their coconut products.
Tade also explained that the Ramale people would become a model community in the Kokopo district and ENB as a whole for selecting 3,000 coconut seedlings to plantin the 220 blocks allocated in the Tobera plantation sub-division.
Warapik and his ward development community are ready to venture processing of some of the new products that Kik has introduced.
Besides taking up trainings on downstream processing in HVCPP, the Kik also informed the people about a coconut replanting programme which is currently being rolled out in ENB.
Tade said the replanting programme would include the selection of high-yielding local tall coconut trees through a process known as Mother Palm and Plus Palm selection.
Tade added that coconut seeds collected from the selected mother palms and planted out have the potential to be very high yielding, providing the opportunity for various high value coconut products for both the local and international markets.
“Kik will be training farmers on five coconut products processing and production and will also be carrying out awareness as well as demonstrations in ENB on white copra processing.”
Tade said the awareness or training was a step towards enabling rural farmers to venture into the production of a number of new high value coconut products.
Apart from Ramale, Korai ward in the Bitapaka LLG also in Kokopo is also selected to trial out white copra production.
If turns becomes successful Kik hopes to export containers of white copra products by end of November.
There is certainly more to be made from the tree of life besides earning cash from the sale of dried copra!