Murphy helps locals grow their own

The National People

By ROSELYN ELLISON
DIPLOMA in Agriculture graduate Murphy Selep, 37, believes in helping people.
So he is using his expertise to help locals use land available in their backyards to grow vegetables and crops.
He also prepares seedlings and provides them to those who want to start their gardens at home.
“I am encouraging farmers to make use of whatever little area around their homes, make use of their backyards to plant vegetables.”
The father of five is from Baai village in the Kombui local level government in Rabaul, East New Britain. His wife left him some years ago. Despite the family problem, Murphy has moved on in life, putting his personal problems aside and focusing on forging forward and trying out new things.
He runs a small business called Te’Baai Agri Ventures, designing backyard gardens for families to plant vegetables and crops.
“After nine years of employment with different companies in ENB and around PNG, I decided to start my own business.”

“ I am encouraging farmers to make use of whatever little area around their homes, make use of their backyards to plant vegetables.”

He gives technical advice to farmers in the Gelegele-Baai ward. He also conducts awareness and training on sales and marketing to help farmers on how to manage their money from the sale of crops. His aim is to promote food security and sustainable development to rural people.
He graduated from the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) at its Vudal campus in ENB in 2010 with a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture.
In 2011, Murphy worked with Hakau Investment Ltd which dealt with land mobilisation and social mapping. He was sent to Torokina in Bougainville to do land mobilisation and social mapping for an oil palm project.
“The oil palm project did not eventuate because of land issues. So I left the company at the end of 2011.”
In 2012, Murphy joined SP as a company’s sales representative at its New Guinea Island regional branch office in Kokopo. He left in 2013. Then he joined Digicel PNG in Kokopo as a salesman for a year, then PNG Balsa. In 2018 he was employed by the Kokopo Beach Bungalow.

Murphy Selep with some garden produce during the World Food Day celebration held at the UNRE Vudal campus in ENB last month.

“During that period of nine years working with these different companies, I have learnt many new things and skills as well. I gained experience in special areas which I was attached to.”
At the resettlement area in Gelegele, due to limited land, he started a “backyard farming contact farmers concept”. He taught others how to prepare nursery trays of seedlings which are supplied to families and individuals.
His group also assists in harvesting crops and looking for markets for farmers.
He will continue to help people as long as he can.
“My advice to those who have graduated from colleges and universities and looking for jobs is to make use of what you have learnt and put it into practice. Try to do your own little things instead of depending on others.”
Murphy’s lot is in agriculture, helping farmers and himself.