Rice a recipe for success in Jiwaka

By TONY PALME
A COMMUNITY in North Waghi district of Jiwaka will soon benefit from a rice project initiated by an international organisation based in the province.
The Wika community at Kaming village in Nondugl, through their self-help programme attracted the attention of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) office in Banz.
Last Friday, IOM official Thomas Mek and provincial disaster coordinator John Kupul visited the area and assessed project.
Kupul commended the community for taking the initiative to go into rice farming.
“We haven’t had an agreement in place to assist you but it was your very own efforts that attracted us to be here to assist where we can,” Kupul said.
He also highlighted that IOM and the disaster office work in collaboration to assist people in need, particularly on disaster risk reduction programmes, food security and Wash programmes among other pillar programmes of the IOM which is an agency of the United Nations.
“Rice growing should take the centre stage in our everyday living because global warming is having a negative impact on our societies today. Droughts and other weather phenomena’s are frequent these days,” Kupul said.
“We can save ourselves during drought if we continue to plant rice. It’s not only for self-consumption but it’s another commercial crop where you can make
an income to sustain your own living.”