TRUKAI GRADUATES 259 SMART FARMERS AND SIGNS MOU TO REACH OTHER CENTRES
By Ancilla Ilave
The Trukai Industries Limited has graduated 259 farmers under the Trukai Smart Farmer Program, batch five, and batch six.
The ceremony was held last Friday April 24, 2026 at Erap Station in Morobe province
Trukai General Manager for Papau New Guinea and Solomon Islands, Andrew Grace said this is the largest graduation for the new commercial farmers across the country.
During the ceremony, Grace announced two important and exciting opportunities that the company would be venturing into to support the farmers into rice commercialisation.
First was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the National Rice and Grain Board to extend Smart Farmers Certificate Program to other centers across the country.
Secondly, Trukai has launched the Paddy Buyback project to provide a market for the farmers program.
Grace urged the farmers to expand their production and to utilise the skills acquired through the program to enhance and boost rice quality and production.
“There are opportunities available, and that’s just the start of what commercial rice farming can do for you as commercial rice farmers, and also part of food security across PNG,” Grace said.
The National Grain Board Chairman, Koren Maso congratulated the Smart Farmer Program graduates and Trukai Industries on behalf of the government.
He further, encouraged the farmers to grow more rice for commercialization has huge potential with the introduction of the Trukai’s Paddy Buyback.
“You farmers are important people because you will lead your communities and households in this engagement,” Maso said.
“You will be the extension officers in the villages, conducting awareness on the paddy rice commercial farm activities to inspire production and boost food security at the community and rural based level,” Maso said.
He also urged farmers to think as entrepreneurs.
“You have to be educated. You need to be smart farmers, disciplined and you have to have dedication in your life because you are an entrepreneur now,” Maso emphasised.
