New solar-powered mill producing rice

THE Sepik Organic Rice is being produced using a solar-powered mill at the Angoram Central Milling Centre in East Sepik.
Angoram and Middle Sepik rice coordinator Kristoffa Piso said locals began using the solar-powered mill on Sunday. The mills were bought from Lae for K15,900 per unit.
One mechanical and two solar-powered mills are being used. Piso said the rice would be sold in shops soon.
“The project was funded in 2013 by the Angoram local level government (which) bought two mechanical mills in 2014 from Farmset in Lae. The Marienberg LLG recently purchased three mills from PSS Lae.
Piso said previously the initiative of growing rice was for commercial use to benefit locals and to address food security as well.
“It was the Government’s initiative for food security that the project on the promotion of smallholder rice development eventuated.
“East Sepik and Madang were selected as pilot provinces under the PNG JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) smallholder rice development project in 2003.”
He was selected for a month-long training in 2005 on basic rice cultivation with OISCA (Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement) in Rabaul funded by JICA.
“After the training, I realised that I was sent there for a purpose – to share my knowledge to the smallholder farmers.”