Kutubu has rice potential

Words and picture by SENIORL ANZU

 

Kutubu is known for producing Papua New Guinea’s finest crude oil which is commercialised internationally.

Early works proved that Kutubu also has the potential to produce upland rice.

The soil and the climate are just right.

 The Foe, Faso and Moran women have wasted no time; they are already in business, venturing into household level rice production for family consumption.

Taking the lead is the Kutubu Foe Women’s Association.

Their initiative was boosted with the donation of two new rice milling machines by Oil Search Ltd and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.

Pictured is Piano Paul (left) from Waro village in the Faso area of Kutubu with her 25kg of NR 15 rice variety, harvested from her backyard experiment after receiving seeds from NARI.

Piano was a proud mother who was happy to show her harvests to Maria Linibi (right) of the PNG Women in Agriculture (PNGWiA) and Elizaberth Kelly of the Community Development Initiative (CDI) foundation last week.