Rice farming an alternate of peanut

Source: 

The National, 01st May 2012

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/32151

By ABIGAIL APINA


RICE farming has taken Gazelle district, East New Britain province, by storm, a recent report says.
The report, compiled by Gazelle district and released last month, said with the population explosion experienced in many parts of the province, the district adopted rice farming to address food security and to further diversify its agricultural activities.
The report said there were now several hundred active rice farmers in the district.
It said since rice farming was introduced in 2009-10, an estimated K600,000 had been allocated by the Gazelle joint district planning and budget priority committee to the infant industry.
It said with farmers facing problems with the cocoa pod borer, they were struggling to make ends meet.
The report said cocoa production in the district went down by nearly 80% between 2007 and 2009, causing people to neglect their cocoa patches and resorting to other crops such as rice and copra.
Gazelle MP Malakai Tabar pumped more funding into rice farming.
The report said the district introduced the rice intervention programme and allocated an initial K120,000 funding support with the primary objective of providing an alternative agricultural activity.
The Gazelle joint district planning and budget priority committee approved the purchase of 12 rice milling machines at a cost of K144,000 to begin the programme.
The report said an additional five milling machines were bought for K35,000 and later three large milling machines were bought for K168,000 to meet demand as interest among farmers rose,
Rice farmer and senior trainer Peter Birau, who now heads the rice intervention programme, said in the latter part of 2010 and early 2011 most people in the district were buying rice locally.
He said rice farming was being undertaken by everyone in the community, including school children and churches.
“As more people venture into the industry, there is great need for more training and more technical information to reach the farmers for quality control,” Birau said.
He said farmers needed to be trained on post-harvest methods in drying and milling to produce quality rice

Peanut farming Zapeng



Mr & Mrs Siges with Lisa mum at Zapeng farm



Women Need Govt Support

Source: 

The National, 01st May 2012

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/32144

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE

PEOPLE living in rural areas need more government empowerment to assist them venture into  small business, Minister for Trade and Industry Charles Abel says.
He said it was time the government provided services to rural areas that would enable people to venture into business.
Abel was speaking at the graduation ceremony of 49 women who underwent business training conducted by the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC), at the Masurina Lodge in Alotau last Friday.
“Only few people own wealth and we need to reverse the trend if we are to survive in the long term,” he said.
Abel said that:
-Most businesses were owned by foreigners and there was a need for change;
-The Melanesian culture had an impact on the way we did business and it would be better to incorporate modern ways of doing business into our culture;
-The small medium enterprise (SME) policy went back to 1996 and was outdated; and
-The new 2012 SME policy would help in preserving businesses for locals.

SBDC women-in-busi­ness officer Maria Kalap said people wanted to venture into small businesses but they lacked the know-how.
Kalap, facilitator of the start improve your business (SYIB) training for women in Alotau, said SYIB was an internationally-recognised programme with International Labour Organisation (ILO) and was delivered in 96 countries worldwide.
She said SBDC had the mandate to promote SMEs and they would continue to instill knowledge and skills in those trying to start businesses or help improve existing businesses.
Kalap said the training had proven successful in PNG

Peanut processing and usage-Tonguboc village

When you are in a place that is remote and animal protein is scarce an alternative is an option. Peanut is a legumous plant and is grown widely in Morobe Province. Tonguboc villagers have adapted this vital crop. Peanut is flourishing due to its taste and for snacks. The villagers cultivate big plots of peanut during the growing season annually. It is either planted on its own plot or mixed crop plot. The plant grows for approximately four months. At the end of the fourth month it is prepared for harvesting. The legumous plants is uprooted and left under the sun for dry for a day or two. The picture shows Tonguboc villagers harvesting peanut at Zapeng area. The leaves are trimmed, bagged and taken to the village for further drying in peanut houses for another day or two. Ropes are used to fastened the trimmed peanuts or what the locals call "bundled". The ones which are not bundled are sometimes milled to be prepared for other local dishes. Others are eaten without processing depends on the preference. The bundled ones are normally sold for cash. This is the villagers main casher earner. Normally the peanuts are sold at the Pindiu market. Some even bagged the peanuts in 60kg juke bags are take them to market in Lae city which is the provincial head quarters of Morobe.

Peanut has an economic impact to the villagers. It helps to pay childrens school fees, clothes, toiletries, fuel for light and many other expenditures. Tonguboc villagers treasure peanut so much. Health wise it has supplimented the protein diet.