By Theckla Gunga – EM TV, Port Moresby
Despite the dry season, hundreds of farmers from Central and Gulf provinces gathered at Bereina Station in Kairuku, and observed the World Food Day.
These agriculturalists, mainly subsistence farmers say the dry weather has decreased their production rate and lowered their income opportunities.
However, it created the opportunity to try different agricultural techniques, says the farmers.
Pauline Inawaya, a subsistence farmer from Mekeo was amongst these famers who participated in the celebrations.
She grows bananas and taro but the prolonged dry weather is threatening her income source.
“There was a huge flood that destroyed most of my garden and now there is little water for the garden,” Pauline said.
John Kaipa, another subsistence farmer is more involved in small scale farming. He has four children who are also agriculturalists.
They said, while they have the land to produce garden food, they need government’s assistance to help them transport and sell their produce.
Bereina is an old government station in Kairuku District, once committed to agriculture activities.
It’s role as the host venue for the world food day celebrations is seen as an attempt to bring back the agricultural days.
World food day is an annual event. Over the years, it has created the avenue for agriculture and livestock organisations to discuss and improve on laws and practices that protect food security and address how food can be prepared and consumed at a later date.
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