Rice tiller secured from Taiwan

Momase, Normal
Source:

By TANYA LAHIES

BUMAYONG Lutheran Secondary School in Morobe province has been promised a power tiller (pedestrian tractor) from Taiwan to help cultivate rice at the school.
A Taiwanese delegation from Taiwan’s department of East Asian and Pacific affairs visited the school recently to see the rice farming that has been practised as part of training during agriculture lessons.
Impressed with the engagement of students in cultivation of rice, the leader, Lee Shieh Ming, said that he was overwhelmed to see students venturing to large-scale rice production in their agriculture lessons.
“For a root crop-based society to venture in to grain crop at this stage of their life is a big positive move that could guarantee food security for the near future.
“And with students learning about rice cultivation and production, they can go home and educate their family to invest in grain crop which can be stored for longer period of time than their perishable root crop like sweet potatoes (kaukaku, taro, yam and cassava),” Mr Ming said.
Team leader for Taiwanese Technical Mission to PNG base in Bubia, Kevin Lin said: “Now we know that agricultural extension services to train people to grow their own rice, lies in schools and not with their parents in the village or gardens because the future of this country is in the hands of this young people.”
Mr Lin thanked teachers who have been instrumental in the rice project.