Women and young people are among the cocoa farmers from across Bougainville who will benefit from grants that will increase cocoa production quantity, improve quality and strengthen market access.
Grants have been awarded to 25 cocoa farmer groups through the Bougainville Partnership’s Commodity Support Facility, which is an initiative of the Autonomous Bougainville Government supported by the Australian Government through the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership and the New Zealand Government.
By strengthening the cocoa industry, the program will improve the livelihoods of individuals, build stronger communities and contribute to broader economic development in Bougainville.
The grants are worth between K300,000-500,000. With over 150 applications received, the top 25 cocoa farmer groups selected include a high number of female farmers and young people.
Among those selected was Kukurina Business Group, which will use the grant to rehabilitate cocoa blocks, improve crop quality and increase levels of production from the group’s more than 25,000 cocoa trees.
25-year-old Jonathan Kopas leads the group, with support from Treasurer Larry Augustine, Secretary Hilda Kopa and Vice-Secretary Peninah James.
Mr Kopas said they were very pleased and proud to receive the grant support and that the news provided the young executive and farmers with strength and encouragement to continue to work collectively.
“I'm a young person and am happy that the community is working with me. We have the support of our elders, and the people within our community are working together,” he said
Kukurina proposed support to develop the group’s business and farm management skills, improve market access and transportation services.
Mr Kopas said they are looking to rehabilitate existing cocoa dryers and strengthen already active and complementary entrepreneurial activities, including the sale of cocoa sector goods and fresh produce.
“We are already producing high volumes of cocoa, so we want to improve market access and improve cocoa quality and block maintenance,” he continued.
Australian High Commission’s Counsellor for Bougainville, Clayton Harrington, said the economic benefits of the program were obvious.
“Australia believes in the future of the Bougainville cocoa industry to improve livelihoods,” he said.
The Deputy Head of Mission at the New Zealand High Commission, Nathan Ross, congratulated the successful farmer groups.
He said, “The work of the cocoa farmer groups will benefit communities across Bougainville. Their efforts to secure the financial future of these communities is a credit to them all.”
Previous grants to Bougainvillean cocoa farming groups from 2017-2020 and early analysis suggest that they resulted in improved cocoa yields and quality.
The grants enabled the distribution of more than 250,000 clonal seedlings – a more productive, pest-resilient strain of cocoa, tractors, boats and over 1,000 toolsets – including bowsaws, knapsacks, sprayers, wheelbarrows, chainsaws, secateurs and pole pruners.
The grants also enabled the construction and restoration of more than 70 conventional dryers, 11 new solar combination dryers with fermenting boxes, and equipment storage sheds and office spaces.
In addition to equipment, the program also provided pest and disease management training to over 1,000 farmers and post-harvest training for 50 farmers.
The latest announcement brings the total number of grants to Bougainville cocoa farmer groups to 50 since 2017, with the latest round expected to continue until at least 2022.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100