Women’s group sign deal with department

THE PAPUA New Guinea Women in Agriculture Development Foundation Inc, on Monday, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) to partner in agricultural development.
The signing, between DAL secretary Daniel Kombuk and foundation president Maria Linibi, took place at the Erap DAL research station outside Lae.
The signing will see the foundation and its partners coming together and work closely with the department to ensure the foundation’s members around the country received support.
“The sustainability of more than 85 per cent of total population depends on agriculture,” Kombuk said.
“We have rural dwellers whose livelihood and economic sustainability depend on agriculture.”
He said with the Government increased support for the agriculture sector in the country, the department was moving forward to revive its research stations nationwide.
Kombuk said through the partnership with the foundation, the department was looking at reviving the Erap research centre which could then distribute genetic resource materials throughout the country.
“Through this initiative, we are trying to help those smallholder growers in the rural setting in the country and they are the ones that do not get any help from the government but produce 85 per cent of PNG’s cocoa and coffee exports,” he said.
Kombuk said the MoU would help increase the volume of produce for export commodities by smallholder growers and provide marketing incentives.
Foundation president Maria Linibi said her organisation was dedicated to helping women farmers through any support it received.
Linibi called for more training of farmers on how best they could become successful small scale producers at their own locations further contributing to reduction of poverty levels in the country.