Project boosts group’s fruits and vegetable production

The Market for Village Farmers (MVF) has impacted production of fruits and vegetables in Western Highlands.
MVF’s lead farmer Naomi Paragua told a delegation led by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) country director and head of South East Asia and Pacific Ivan Cossio Cortez that basic tool and chemicals which were expensive for farmers to afford were now made available under the MVF project.
“We are now able to produce in large quantities and supply markets such as we have our clients in Kutubu oil fields.
“Our 89 contact farmers are contributing to supply fresh produce for the market,” she said.
Paragua said despite tapping into these potential markets they needed more logistical support such as transport, water supply to the farms and financial literacy training.
She thanked the MVF project and its implementing agency the Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) for the much needed support.
Another lead farmer James Leo acknowledge the initial funding support from IFAD which had gone to the farmers in the village.
He reiterated that farmers in Western Highlands desperately needed transport to take their produce to the markets and water for their gardens.
IFAD team leader Cortez acknowledge the input the farmers which would improve and transform their livelihoods.
He said the MVF project would continue to support them as long as the project was around and would stop when the farmers became self-reliant.