By Serah Aupong – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Over 500 farmers in Torokina are now participating in a program to rehabilitate their abandoned farms.
The program is a partnership between the government and World Vision, with financial support by the World Bank.
Paula Kari, Communications Coordinator with World Vision said under this program World Vision works to link farmers with government officials who provide training.
“So this means starting from the beginning, we are now building one nursery each in five wards of Torokina,” Ms Kari said.
The cocoa pod borer devastated the cocoa industry in PNG, in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville; a K100 million industry stood no chance to the onslaught of the tiny insect.
However, efforts are underway to bring the industry back in the region.
Under this program, clones of high yielding cocoa trees are distributed along with skills and techniques on how to manage them.
While the project is still in its infancy, farmers are determined and hopeful that Torokina will once again become a major cocoa supplier in the region.
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