RICE PROJECT LAUNCHED IN MOVETO, EHP
Picture Caption: Eastern Highlands Governor Simon Sia.
By Vicky BAUNKE, Goroka EHP
THE Eastern Highlands Government aims at encouraging locals into growing their own rice to cut the costs of buying processed rice from supermarkets and improving living standard.
The rice project under the leadership of Governor Simon Sia aims at empowering locals especially youths to engage in farming activity as a economic activity that may eradicate poverty and increase living standards in communities in the province given the best soil and climate suitable for producing large quantities of rice.
However, the people of the Mohuveto community in Ungai Bena District of Eastern Highlands Province have tapped into the project with a 2.5 hectares of land to grow rice as part of the sustainable program of their Community, aimed at cutting the cost of buying processed rice from supermarkets and producing locally using raw skills.
The Chinese Aid Program in the Country, Juncau Technology, has partnered with the Community by upskilling locals from the Community on different technicalities that involve growing rice to the final production stage.
The Technical Team Leader of the Juncau, Professor Lynn said, they are happy to partner with the people who want to share the vision we have to provide more sustainable training programs and activities for the locals that could sustain the people their livelihoods.
Eastern Highlands Provincial Member, Simon Sia, expressed his highest gratitude towards the leadership undertaken by the Community Leaders who joined the force to see this project come to fruition.
He congratulatiled the community last week during the launching of the project which he described as the result of the unwavering effort and commitment by leaders into the project together to make it possible.
Mr Sia said if we have the land, and money will come out from there, but instead, we continue to ask for free handouts, making people lazy, and that will have a direct effect on future generations. Hence, people have to stop such habits and mentality somewhere to achieve better results.
Mr Sia said assured the support of the project under his government with a Rice Milling Machine on behalf of the Eastern Highlands Provincial Government and Administration presented by the Provincial DAL office in Goroka toward the community.
