Philippines, Papua New Guinea Rice Cooperation Begins
From left: Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel, Philippines Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Bienvenido Tejano, PNG Department of Agriculture and Livestock L Minister Benny Allen, Pacific Adventist University Vice Chancellor Dr. Raul Rozano, PNG Central Provincial Governor Robert Agarobe and PNG DAL Acting Secretary Francis Daink tossing rice seeds into the readied paddy during the final part of the ground-breaking ceremony of the Philippine-Papua New Guinea Rice Demo Farm. (Port Moresby PE photo)
PORT MORESBY 11 September 2018 — The Philippines and Papua New Guinea held a successful groundbreaking of its 25-hectare rice demo farm on the grounds of the Pacific Adventist University (PAU) on 24 August 2018.
The Philippines’ Departments of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs, through the Philippine Embassy in Port Moresby, enabled the sending of 19 Filipino farm technicians and tax-free supplies and equipment to Port Moresby for the clearing, ploughing, irrigation and planting of the initial rice seeds of the demo farm.
The Philippines-Papua New Guinea Rice Demo Farm hopes to establish a model seed farm and become a source of certified rice seeds for both commercial and smallholder farmers of Papua New Guinea embarking on rice production.
The research of appropriate rice varieties for Papua New Guinea and the training of local farmers are intended to start larger scale projects and investments. It is being readied for showcase during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Port Moresby in November 2018.
Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel, Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) Minister Benny Allen, Central Provincial Governor Robert Agarobe, and Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Bienvenido Tejano delivered their remarks before proceeding together to the rice paddies for the ribbon-cutting and ceremonial planting of rice seeds.
The country imports around 98 percent of the nearly 400,000 kilos of rice the country consumes each year. Yet, it is said that only 50,000 hectares of its two million hectares of suitable agricultural lands is required to meet its rice needs.
In Papua New Guinea’s Vision 2050, rice imports are projected to triple as the country reaches 22 million in population. Hence, its government is now focusing policies towards rice sufficiency and the overall strengthening of its agricultural sector for food security.
The Philippines joins the EU, Australia and Israel in supporting the country’s agricultural policy with assistance targeted at training and production of specific crops such as rice, cacao and high-value vegetables. END
Welcome tarpaulin in front of the tent and stage set-up for the ground breaking ceremony. (Port Moresby PE photo)
Top view of the 25-hectare rice demo farm. (Port Moresby PE photo)