CENTRAL FARMERS BOUGAINVILLE SHOW INTEREST IN RICE

By Angeline KARIUS, Bougainville

Local farmers in Central Bougainville are showing great interest and have started planting rice as a substitute for daily sustenance. According to Elma Maxwell the current inflation and high rice prices, some good farmers who had the experience of growing rice during the Bougainville crisis has begun planting rice.

However, they did not have a good variety of seeds, so Maxwell, was able to distribute the Trukai 12 (Roots/Jasmine) with a maturity span of 120 to 130 days into maturity. Maxwell, an extension officer, Arawa based under the Department of Primary Industry was instrumental in providing rice T12 seeds to rice farmers in Central Bougainville.

Elmah Maxwell was chosen to represent Central Bougainville by attending the rice training at the University of Technology conducted by Trukai Rice Industry.
She says no proper trainings had been carried out apart from the supply of seeds and motivation to get farmers to plant rice.

“By way of motivation, Maxwell buys rice seeds from advanced rice farmers to distribute to other farmers as well,” she added.

Maxwell also added that most farmers have come to realize that Bougainville has a larger landmass that these farmers are going into rice farming.

“Irrigation rice farming has also been considered for a size as one hectare, a farmer is able to produce 2 to 4 tonnes of rice which on average the farmer is able to earn a healthy income,” added Maxwell.

She further added that farmers only need the support of ABG Government to capitalize in commercial farming By purchasing machines currently being supplied by a business house in Arawa.

Maxwell reiterated that there is a need to enable 200 farmers in the area to increase the level of productivity in order to meet the current demand of rice in the region.
She also added that more emphasis should be put into Irrigation farming as it decreases pests from destroying the plants.