By Jack Lapauve Jr – EMTV News, Port Moresby
Despite the challenges of rough terrains, Goilala District in Central Province wants to build better infrastructure and support its agriculture sector.
Goilala MP, William Samb, says rural airstrips, Vsat telecommunication, and good roads will be the key infrastructure to support the district’s plan to embrace agriculture.
He says coffee, potato and bulb onion are the three cash crops to begin with. MP Samb says it is not economic benefits or human development but the issue of food supply during disasters can be addressed as well.
In 2016, Goilala District launched a major agriculture project to empower communities farm the land. The communities have been tasked to work through cooperative groups so the District can easily work with them.
Agriculture expert Michael Atuai has been working closely with the District to empower people and sustain their small projects. He says this will also attract Goilala’s who left their communities and are in the City.
English potato and bulb onion are the two main crops introduced, and have proven too successful with high yield production. For coffee, the District will be signing an agreement with the Coffee Industry Corporation to enhance coffee farming.
