Trukai Industries Limited has gone into partnership with the University of Technology in Lae, Morobe Province.
This partnership will see rice farmers being trained under Trukai’s Smart Farmer Program.
This rice farmer program initiated by Trukai aims to pave the way for local rice farmers to receive an education accreditation from a recognized tertiary institution in the country.
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed today at the Unitech’s Taraka Campus.
This is a five (5) year agreement for public-private partnership for academic and professional joint approach in rice research and trainings through the advancement of science and technology.
This partnership demonstrates Trukai’s support for local rice farmers through the Smart Farmer Program and this is the company’s contribution to the rice development in PNG. This was alluded to by Trukai Industries Chief Executive Officer, Alan Preston.
Trukai’s Rice Development Officer Aina Davis cited that this training will take a more practical approach with the aim to enable local rice farmers to become small holder farmers and eventually to commercial rice farmers.
Farmers will have access to classrooms, research laboratories and field facilities for trainings as well as undergraduate and postgraduate student training, research and extension activities.
Head of Agriculture Department at the Unitech, Prof. Macquin Maino said students will be engaged in work-integrated learning experiences with Trukai.
This Smart Farmer Program by Trukai will be for all levels of farmers to attend.
It will run for two weeks with participants learning the basics of irrigation rice farming.
