A small women’s group on the Island of Misima in the Milne Bay Province, say the Misima people have to farm their land to sustain themselves.
The Gulewa women’s group is commercially farming rice to support their livelihood in the village.
This comes amidst the closure of the Misima gold mine in 2004 that affected a significant portion of the population on the Island.
Two women who form part of the Gulewa women’s group started planting rice five years ago as part of their contribution to sustainable development in Gulewa village along the north coast area of Misima Island in the Milne Bay Province.
These women are the only group that is cultivating rice on the Island.
Local village councilor, Eric Liba says, the women’s group is growing, and so is their rice production.
In 2009, the group was formed with the intention of piecing back together the lives of the people in this council ward.
After mining activities ended on the Island in 2004, their lives have changed significantly.
They are now planning to rebuild their lives through cultivating and selling of rice to sustain their live on this remote island.
Next month, the women group will host a weeklong workshop on rice farming on Misima Island, aiming at training other locals to develop rice farming on the island.
The group plans to participate actively in this small business, making sure that they have an income for their families and also, to maintain a constant supply of locally produced rice on Misima Island.
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