Bougainville growing agriculture for economic development

Australian High Commission

Around 87 per cent of Bougainvilleans are engaged in agriculture, either as smallholder commercial farmers or privately-run household plots.

Located in the foothills of the mountain range surrounding Arawa town, Sivuna village is dotted with small farming plots growing cocoa, fruit trees and vegetables.

Forty-seven-year-old Susan Paai has lived in the small village in the North Nasioi constituency of Central Bougainville her whole life.

The mother of three children has managed to support her family through earnings from a cocoa plantation and vegetable garden near her home following her divorce to her husband 10 years ago.

Farmer Susan Paai with cabbages grown on her land following fresh produce training supported by Australia and New Zealand in partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

In early 2018, she took part in fresh produce training with 10 other women from the local area to learn new and more efficient farming techniques.

“I learned about cultivating the soil and composting and how to take control of pests,” Susan said.

“Seeds for cabbage, carrot, bok choi, tomato and lettuce were then shared amongst the group. We then worked as individuals on our land to grow the vegetables.”

Susan said everything she has grown has been successful, with enough produce for family meals and surplus to sell at the market to pay school fees and meet medical expenses.

Susan’s plot is one of 14 model farms established across Bougainville as part of a fresh produce initiative supported by the governments of Australia and New Zealand, in collaboration with the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

The first phase of the project developed the skills of DPI staff to establish model farms and use them as sites to train local people on the latest farming methods to improve production.

DPI’s cash crop officer Elmah Maxwell, is responsible for setting up farmer’s groups and model farms around Kieta District.

Farmer Susan Paai (left) and DPI’s Elmah Maxwell with seedlings in a greenhouse ready to be planted.

Following DPI training delivered by a New Zealand agriculture volunteer in late 2017, Elmah has since held a number of trainings and distributed seed packets to local villages, with four model farms established.

“The training taught us how to be trainers in fresh produce, using basic horticulture. We mainly learned about nurseries and organic composting – composting was a new thing for us. Composting fertilises the soil and is good for plants, and also helps to stop pests attacking the plants,” explained Elmah.

“The training has mainly targeted interested women. I saw them marketing their produce at the local market and asked them if they wanted to learn more about growing fresh produce. That’s how I contacted people.”

The next phase of the project will work with suppliers to address seed storages in Bougainville and provide specialised training in pest and disease management, with the dissemination of fresh produce information using radio to reach a wider audience.

Elmah also wants to provide more training in post-harvest handling and marketing to increase household incomes.

“We need to learn more about marketing, so farmers can package their produce and sell it in Port Moresby. There is big potential to earn good incomes from the growth of agriculture in Bougainville.”

Growing Bougainville’s agricultural sector is seen as a key avenue to drive economic growth in the region.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government, with the support of Australia and New Zealand, is making agriculture a priority to improve the quality and volume of local production for both domestic and international markets, while also making crops more resilient to insects, disease and extreme weather events.

With the production and sale of fresh produce dominated by women in Bougainville, there are also opportunities to strengthen household incomes, while contributing to economic growth.

As a successful farmer, Susan is keen to expand her crops and educate other women reliant on farming to support their families.

“In this village, many of us are widows or divorced, so women are doing farming on their own,” she explained.

“Most of the women around here are coming to my village and getting ideas to pass on skills to their own farmer groups.”

Cabinet meets on Bougainville

PM's Media

Prime Minister James Marape has arrived in Buka with his full  Cabinet for the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Buka in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville this morning.

Marape was welcomed by ABG leaders and was received by a guard-of-honour by the Bougainville Police Services and Correctional Service.

He and his delegation was accorded the Bougainville traditional welcome tsutsu ( washing of the feet).

Marape will chair the NEC at 1pm and later address the ABG House of Representatives at 2pm today.

Tomorrow he will head to Buin and overnight for the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting on Friday  at Buin Secondary School Hall with ABG President John Momis and both National Government and ABG officials.

St John’s Lutheran Church in West Goroka celebrates 50 years

By MALUM NALU

St John’s Lutheran Church in West Goroka, an urban church which has figured in the spiritual lives of many Papua New Guineans, this month celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Last month, while in Goroka, I bumped into resident pastor Grahamme Baital (pictured), who invited me to be present for the occasion.

Pastor Grahamme Baital

I have a long history with the church, starting from 1975-1977, when I attended Sunday School classes here.
Dad was the senior primary school inspector for Eastern Highlands at that time and a prominent layman leader of the church while mum was with the Gejamsaoc (women's group).
From 1998-2002, when my late wife and I were here, we were also part of the St John’s congregation.
There are many Papua New Guineans just like me who have passed through St John’s over the last 50 years.
“On Sept 29, St John’s is celebrating 50 years of serving as an urban congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea,” Baital said.
“The significance of the celebration is that St John’s was one of the pioneer urban congregations that was established in the days when urban ministry was not fully developed.
“It was established especially for a young, upcoming generation of Papua New Guineans, who were educated at universities, colleges and other institutions around the world.
“That was the purpose of building the congregation at that time.
“This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of this urban ministry serving young, educated, indigenous Christians of this nation.
“Many Papua New Guineans who have come to Goroka would have had the opportunity to come across this congregation, because at that time, there were not many denominations established in Goroka Town.”
Baital said the church had a long history and there was much to celebrate.
“Our celebration has the theme, ‘Appreciating the Past, Celebrating the Present and Envisioning the Future’,” he said.
“The organising committee for the event has organised three separate activities for the event.
“On Sept 27, we have an urban ministry seminar which focuses on developing concepts related to urban ministry in PNG context.
“We have guest speakers from Australia, including pioneer pastor and missionary Reverend Brian Schwartz and his son Nick, who was formerly here serving as a research officer with the Melanesian Institute, and is now serving as Asia-Pacific coordinator of the Australian church.
“We will also have Reverend Murray Thomas, who was one of the pastors here, and one of the vocal people to prioritise urban ministry.
“In today’s context, that would be relevant to the needs and aspirations of our people, especially members of the church.”
Sept 28 will feature a cultural day along with Thanksgiving, which is an annual programme of the church.
“We will have Christian brothers and sisters coming all the way from Simbang (Finschhafen), which is the original landing place of the Gospel of the Lutheran Church, as well as those from St Andrew’s Parish (Lae), and another group from Siassi which is my home district, as well as other cultural groups from Eastern Highlands,” Baital said.
“The theme is ‘Celebrating Christ in Culture’.
“On Sunday, we have the 50th Anniversary Service.”
Baital said many prominent Papua New Guineans would grace the occasion with their presence.
“We thank God for giving us this opportunity to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to appreciate everybody who’s been part of the church.”
Further information can be obtained from Baital on phone 73027023 or email gjbaital@gmail.com, or chairman Himony Lapiso 71415527.

Development is yourself

Development in Papua New Guinea, which includes getting rich, begins with yourself.
 Everyone should strive to make themselves better than being beggars.
Shrug off the inferiority complex.
Stop looking up to your MP and Government for manna to fall from heaven.
Stop the negatives such as laziness, raskol, spitting buai, littering, smoking, drinking alcohol, marijuana, pokies, et al.
We have all the natural resources there to make us rich, our attitude is the problem.
Once we change our attitude,  in 10 year's time, we'll be the richest black nation on earth as Prime Minister James Marape wants us to be.
It's all in the mind.

Ela Beach, Port Moresby

A short clip I took  on March 21 2019 with my DJI Spark.

It's raining again in Port Moresby

@8-Mile on March 23 2019.
Rain is good for Port Moresby but it also highlights potholes, drains and garbage.

Shot and produced with DJI Osmo Pocket

Local Tourist: 'There must be sunshine after rain'

The sun is back in Port Moresby after days of rain.
I shot this yesterday afternoon.