OPIC HOSTS FIELD DAY; FARMERS EDUCATED ON OILPALM CULTIVATION & MANAGEMENT

By Mimi PIO, Popondetta

The Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) hosted a successful field day at Serembe Village in Oro Province yesterday.

The event brought together oil palm growers, OPIC staff and various stakeholders, including the milling company New Britain Palm Oil (NBPOL), National Banking Corporation (NBC), National Development Bank (NDB), and others.

The primary objective behind the field day is to educate farmers on the process of growing oil palm, selling their produce, and effectively managing the income generated from it.

Mackenzie Genau, OPIC’s Divisional Manager for Saiho and Aeka Division, emphasized that OPIC’s main focus is on palm cultivation and production.

“Smallholders must produce higher yields of high quality in order to earn greater income,” he said.

He also pointed out that many farmers in rural areas lack financial literacy, making it essential for banking stakeholders to be involved in such events to help educate farmers on financial management.

To further support this effort, OPIC organizes monthly field days in different locations, aiming to teach farmers the best practices for cultivating and maintaining their oil palm blocks.

At the end of the program, farmers were excited about the opportunity to learn and improve the care of their oil palm trees, in order to increase yield, and manage their income.