Marape provides K5mil funding for carbon pilot project in Northern

NORTHERN Governor Gary Juffa says Prime Minister James Marape provided K5 million to implement the Managalas forest carbon pilot project in his province.
He said Marape’s commitment was indicative of the Government’s strong commitment to conserving Papua New Guinea’s forests and biodiversity for many generations to come.
“I am grateful our Prime Minister is physically in Afore today as it signals his strong belief and desire to strengthen where ever possible our collective conservation efforts,” he said.
“I want to pay special homage to the custodians of this vast land mass, ‘the Managalas Plateau’ as their acceptance of this initiative is the driving force for conservation in Northern and PNG as a nation.
“The Managalas Forest pilot Carbon project belongs to the people of Managalas and Northern and all its activities will be documented in detail and published transparently with every toea accounted in full.”
Juffa said the project was worthwhile as carbon trading credits were given for conservation areas.
“In the Managalas case, the project is a sustainable integrated land development vehicle where the rainforest is conserved while surrounding grasslands reforested agricultural crops such as coconuts, coffee trees, cocoa trees and timber forestry.”
Marape, in announcing the K5 million co-funding support, said he was confident with strong leadership of Juffa the project would get off the ground.
He urged the people of Northern to take advantage of Government programmes, including price subsidies, to develop small to medium enterprises.
“The Government will set up buying hubs in the districts so that the people do not have to travel all the way to Popondetta to sell their produce,” he said.
Marape flew by helicopter into the Managalas Plateau landing at Afore sub-station on Monday to launch the Managalas project.