Smallholder
farmers can expect more government support in the promotion of rice production
in the rural communities.
This
follows the recent signing of phase two of the Smallholder Rice Promotion Project
between the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, and Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA).
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| Benjamin (right) Tsuji (centre) and Samuel congratulate each other after the signing of project documents. |
The
three-and-a-half-years project, starting this month, will cost around K7.2
million.
The
project is a follow on from phase one (1) which had been successfully
implemented from 2003 to 2008, particularly in the Madang and East
Sepik provinces.
The
purpose of the project is smallholder rice farming extension by applying and
improving the model farmer approach and its support system in the target
provinces.
Under
the project, the three main activities will be to improve the implementation
structure of rice extension services of model farmer approach and its support
system, by conducting supplementary training for model farmers and improving
the monitoring system.
Other
activities will be to improve the existing mechanical milling services of
public and private milling service stations, and to strengthen the
implementation of rice policies by DAL’s Food Security Branch and Rice Extension
Unit.
DAL
acting secretary Anton Benjamin said during the signing held recently that the
project has already made an impact in the provinces where it was trialled and
he was confident that it would bring more success to other areas.
The
project in utilising the model farmer approach will enhance rice production in
the rural communities where rice is becoming a main food staple for village
households.
He
said DAL and relevant agencies were committed to working with JICA to promote
smallholder rice production and thanked JICA for helping to address some of the
constraints affecting rice development in PNG.
JICA
resident representative, Takashi Tsuji, said he was pleased to participate in
the signing of the agreement and stressed that JICA would continue its efforts
to support the PNG government in promoting smallholder rice.
He
said the concept had proven that model farmer approach was sustainable, and it
was also aligned to the PNG government policies including Vision 2050.
He
wished DAL and its stakeholders every success in implementing the project
saying JICA would provide much-needed technical advisory support services and hopefully
many rural farmers could benefit.
Department
of National Planning and Monitoring’s acting FAS – FAD, Koney Samuel, who also signed the document,
reaffirmed the government’s commitment with counterpart funding to be provided.
That's very helpful of the Japanese Government. But their own rice industry only survives by imposing very heavy import duties on imported rice and making the Japanese consumer pay a local price about eight (8) times the world price. Perhaps they'll send some officials to advise the PNG Government on how to manage this trick in Waigani.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem is that this Japanese aid helps to persuade PNG to waste its own resources on attempting to create an industry which is simply not viable under PNG conditions.