By Edson Kuso
The Manam Resettlement Authority or Ma-RA have set up an agriculture multiplication and distribution center in Daigul, Bogia District of Madang Province.
The multiplication and distribution site will be used to grow cash crops which will then be distributed to the displaced people of Manam for further cultivation in their new permanent resettlement area located in Andarum in the hinterlands of Bogia district.
Food Security Officer, Gary Tuno affirmed that this is part of Ma-RA’s initiative to ensure food security for the displaced Manam Islanders.
Around twenty thousand Manam Islanders have been living in care-centers on mainland Bogia for almost twenty-years since the major volcanic eruption in 1994.
They are now looking forward to moving to a permanent resettlement area.
However, once they move to their resettlement site, they will need to grow cash crops to sustain themselves, which is why the Manam Resettlement Authority came up with the agriculture and multiplication and distribution center.
Tuno said they had just started this year, and all the harvest will be stored for replanting.
MaRA Chairman, Dr. Boga Figa expressed that the resettlement process is a very big exercise, and progress has been very slow due to very limited funding being allocated yearly to assist the displaced people of Manam.
