New group stands out

 THE Morobe Service Providers Association involved in agricultural skills and information dissemination came second in the agriculture category during last week’s Morobe Agricultural Show.

The association was the brain-child of the support services contract facilities, through the Division of Agriculture and Livestock, that began in 2012.

Association president Delilah Kelly said the main attraction was the arrangement of cash and food crops. 

It included the use of crops in the manufacturing of household goods such as oil, soap, chips and crisps from banana, kaukau, cassava, jathropa, coconut, coffee, rice, artifacts and floriculture.

“Though this was our first time to participate in the agricultural show, we have showed the simple local knowledge and skills left untapped in rural areas,” Kelly said.

She said innovative skills and technologies taught to rural farmers helped them re-create cash and food crops into simple form and minimise transport costs to nearest markets.  

Association vice-president Lloyd Katao said the association “mobilises specialists in various fields to train and educate rural farmers”.