Nipa food bowl for LNG project

PEOPLE in the Nipa-Kutubu electorate, Southern Highlands province, have launched a new association that aims to supply the multi-billion kina LNG project with agricultural products and livestock.
The Nipa-Kutubu Agriculture and Livestock Development Association will act as a market where villages and communities in the Nipa-Kutubu electorate would sell their vegetables and livestock.
The association will then supply catering companies engaged in the LNG project.
Association chairman Jerry James said many people living in Southern Highlands province would not directly benefit from the LNG project and the people had formed the association to also benefit from the project.
Mr James said the association had been registered with the Papua New Guinea Investment Promotion Authority (PNGIPA) and would be fully-recognised by the people and any other business partners.
“The LNG gas projects will need agricultural products and livestock to feed its workers and this association was formed to involve the people of Nipa-Kutu in the project, “ he said.
He said this association would also help promote socio-economic activities and bring peace and improve services to the area.
Mr James said they were supported by the University of Natural Resources and
Environment, Fresh Produce Development Agency Limited (FPDA), National Agriculture and Research Institute (NARI) and the Southern Highlands department of primary industry (DPI) which would provide skilled people to train the locals to be good farmers within the province and also to others.
He said the Southern Highlands provincial government helped the association with K10,000 while Kawaso Limited, which is a
company from Kutubu, helped with K20,000.