MEMAYA WOMEN GET INTO COCOA

 

Sylvia Joanes of the Takuina Women’s Business Group applying her pruning skills.

NEW COCOA GRANTS SPARK GOOD FUTURE FOR BOUGAINVILLE COMMUNITIES

Noelyn Lasua of the Takuina Women’s Business Group thinks a grant awarded to her cocoa cooperative will ‘karim kaikai’. 

“The women believe the project will bring extra income to improve their lives – more children will have the chance to further their studies as families will have enough money for school fees and mothers anticipate growing their ‘liklik bisnis’ activities once they have extra money from cocoa farming,” said Noelyn.

Just over K10 million in grant funding has been committed to support 25 Bougainville cocoa cooperatives through the Bougainville Partnership Commodity Support Facility (CSF),  supported by the governments of Australia and New Zealand. 

This is the second phase of CSF grant funding that is designed to strengthen the cocoa sector, improve the livelihoods of around 1,250 families, support small business and expand education opportunities.

Opening ceremonies held recently across Bougainville saw an outpouring of emotions from the families, and communities who will benefit from the CSF grants. 

This phase will particularly focus on women’s economic empowerment, with support going directly to five women-led groups.

The Memaya Women’s Group, was among the successful grant recipients and team leader Getrude Kinowo said their grant would bring immediate benefits to farmers and families and spark long-term changes in their community.

“Basic needs will be improved meaning parents will be able to meet school fees and other household needs,” she said. 

Agatha Lessi of The Evergreen Farmers Collective helping her cooperative to establish a new nursery for disease resistant hybrid cocoa seedlings.

“Families will also be able to venture into other business activities. Our plan is that in five to ten years’ time, Torokina will be powered by hydroelectricity and that we will have good roads. Businesses will flourish and Torokina will become a mini-town.”

The CSF grants will assist farmers to increase harvests, improve cocoa quality, and access more economic opportunities for women and men. 

Ms Kinowo said the CSF provided training and equipment to improve farming skills and assist farmers to protect their crops against the destructive cocoa pod borer.

“Cocoa farming will improve and cocoa pod borer will be reduced. Right now, cocoa production has dropped significantly due to the cocoa pod borer infestation.”

Equipment and infrastructure provided through CSF will include tractors, trailers, boats and outboard motors, seedling nurseries, new and renovated fermenters and solar combination dryers. 

Up to 200,000 clonal seedlings – a cocoa variety that produces greater yields – will be delivered to the 25 farmer cooperatives.

There will also be opportunities for training in cocoa assessment, pest and disease management, financial literacy and business planning.

Rita Bahin, a farmer with the Memaya Women’s Group, said the CSF funded training and equipment will lead to greater gender equality.  “Many roles will be shared equally,” Ms Bahin said. 

She added that there would eventually be greater cooperation as both men and women would work closely together to achieve the project’s goals.

Male farmer Boniface Wadari agreed gender equality and disability inclusion are vital to achieve positive change in communities.

“There is a need for more awareness raising on gender and disability issues,” Mr Wadari said. 

“We are looking to CSF to provide this support.”

The new CSF grants build on the success of previous grants, supported by Australia and New Zealand through the Bougainville Partnership from 2017-2021.