World Bank officials impressed with project’s progress

By JUNIOR UKAHA
THREE World Bank officials who visited East New Britain last week were impressed with progress of the Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP) in the province.
They visited PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment’s (PNGUNRE) Kairak-Vudal resource training centre (KVRTC) last Wednesday.
They were briefed on progress of work at the centre, one of the lead partners in the PPAP in the country.
KVRTC manager Hosea Turbarat took the team to visit farmers at different PPAP sites.
They talked with the farmers and learnt of how the project was benefiting them.
The three officers were: director strategy and operations for East-Asia and Pacific Region Xiaoqing Yu, country manager Papua New Guinea Patricia Veevers-Carter, and manager portfolio and operations for PNG and Pacific Islands Mona Sur.
Sur has been involved with PPAP since the start in 2012.
“I was very impressed to see tremendous amount of progress,” she said.
“The project has really had positive impacts on the lives of farmers.
“Testimonies given by farmers demonstrated strong partnership fostered between the lead partners and farmers.”
Sur said it was one of the successful projects which revitalised cocoa industry in Easter New Britain after devastation wrought by the cocoa pod borer.
“(There has been) lot of hard work from farmers, the lead partner and everyone who supported this project,” she said.
“(I) Hope that when the project winds down, the facilities and partnership created will be sustained.”
The project winds down in June but will extend for another six months.