Trukai to train Fly River basin farmers

Business

FARMERS in the Fly River basin in Western will soon receive training, extension support, rice technologies and access to market to sell home-grown rice.
According to Trukai Industries Limited, the arrangement would be through partnership programme with Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF).
OTDF under its community mining closure agreement (CMCA) strategic plan, rice had been identified among other commodities for cultivation along the Fly River basin.
The partnership is expected to result in establishing rice as a staple crop which can be grown and traded locally among the communities.
As part of this partnership, Humphrey Saese, Trukai Industries rice development manager was in the province to roll out the first lot of training for lead farmers and provide advice to OTDF team.
“Trukai is happy to assist OTDF and the communities along the Fly River in terms of providing the necessary skills, technology and support to grow rice,” Saese said.
The visit included trips to three major locations where Trukai’s agriculture department had assisted in supplying rice farming equipment such as, powertillers, seeders, rice seeds and fertilizers to establish pilot crops of two hectare size each.
During the visit, lead rice farmers from north, middle and south were provided with training on how to operate powertillers, prepare land and plant rice using different planting techniques.
Trukai Industries Ltd would continue to provide technical support to growers in partnership with OTDF to ensure communities become self-sufficient in rice production.
The company said it was also prepared to look at long term options of sourcing local rice from these communities should farmers grow more rice.
It said engaging locals farmers was priority for their long-term sourcing.