Province looks into ecotourism

By LULU MARK
ESTABLISHING protected areas will conserve the unique biodiversity of Central which should lead to more ecotourism activities and economic gains, its governor says
At the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Conservation Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) and Central government for the establishment of marine protected areas in Mirigeda, Governor Robert Agarobe said it was a positive move for ecotourism.
Agarobe said with the Kokoda initiative and the work done by Cepa and the Japan International Coorporation Agency (Jica) at Varirata National Park, Sogeri had already become a tourism destination.
He said the government would continue to support that and the new Mirigeda project at Bootless Bay would be the first marine protected area which had the potential to draw Port Moresby residents and tourists.
Agarobe said the environment needed to be protected to maintain its natural beauty for people to enjoy in the future.
He said within the economic sector, agriculture, tourism and sports were the priority areas.
Agarobe said environmental conservation was crucial in agriculture and tourism.
He said in terms of agriculture, each district would focus on one cash crop for sufficient resources to be diverted to it in order to make it a revenue earner for the province.
He said Abau would specialise in cocoa, Kairuku in rice, Goilala in coffee and Rigo would have a livestock industry.
Agarobe said, along with the agricultural plans for the province, there would also be areas set aside for protection in order to preserve the province’s biodiversity and history.