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Temo Agro, Mendana Avenue, Honiara (2025)

23/12/2024

Attention All,
See below is the Guidelines for Completing the Cocoa & Coconut Revolving Fund (CCRF) Application Form
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Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
P.O. Box G13, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Telephone: 27734 Email: [email protected]

Guidelines for Completing the Cocoa & Coconut Revolving Fund (CCRF) Application Form

The Cocoa & Coconut Revolving Fund (CCRF) supports cocoa and coconut buyers, rural traders, dryer owners, and farmers by providing financial assistance to enhance the cocoa/coconut value chain. Follow these steps to complete your application correctly:
General Instructions

1. Eligibility Check:
• Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria before applying:
• Large Category: Registered buyers/exporters applying for $100,000–$400,000.
• Small Category: Rural traders, dryer owners, or farmers applying for $20,000–$99,000.
• Funds can only be used for eligible activities (see "Purpose" section).

2. Completeness:
• All sections of the form must be completed.
• Submit all supporting documents with your application.

3. Accuracy:
• Provide accurate and verifiable information.
• Misrepresentation may result in disqualification.

Section-by-Section Guide

1. Applicant Information
• Applicant Name: Enter the full name of your business, cooperative, or individual name (if applying as a farmer).
• Contact Details: Provide the full name, title, phone number, and email address of the main contact person for your application.
• Location: Specify your province, constituency, and ward.

2. Business Details
• For Large Applicants:
• Clearly state the type of business and the year it was established.
• Provide your Business License Number (attach a copy).
• Detail trading volume and market served (domestic/international).
• Exporters and Large existingg traders: provide verification from their trading partners some historical data, Example: Exporters would be from CEMA.
• For Small Applicants:
• State your role in the cocoa/coconut value chain (e.g., dryer owner, trader).
• Include details of any cocoa/coconut purchase agreements or records from the past three years.
• Attach a Verification Letter from the Chief Field Officer to confirm your involvement in the industry.
• Domestic value-adders & rural trader partners should also provide some records of trading with their lower suppliers

3. Funding Request Details
• Category & Amount: Tick the relevant funding category and specify the requested amount in SBD.
• Work Plan & Budget: Attach a detailed work plan, including:
• Timelines
• Specific activities to be funded
• A breakdown of costs.
• Repayment Plan: Outline how you will repay the funds using income from cocoa/coconut sales.
• Cash Flow Projection: Submit a five-year cash flow projection based on the requested funding amount.

4. Supporting Documents
• Ensure all required documents are attached:
• For Large Applicants: Business registration certificate, valid license, NPF proof, audited financial statements, detailed work plan, and five-year cash flow projection.
• Exporters and Large existing traders: provide verification from their trading partners some historical data, for example, exporters would be from CEMA.
• For Small Applicants: Cocoa purchase agreements (if any), purchase records (past three years), verification letter from CFO, detailed work plan, and five-year cash flow projection.
• Domestic value-adders & rural trader partners should also provide some records of trading with their lower suppliers.

5. Declaration
• Read the declaration carefully before signing.
• Ensure the authorized representative (owner or manager) completes this section.
• Provide their full name, position, signature, and the application date.

6. Terms and Conditions
• Review the terms and conditions thoroughly.
• Be prepared to provide additional information or documents if requested during the review process.

7.Submission Checklist
Before submitting, ensure you have:
• Completed all required sections of the form.
• Attached all necessary documents.
• Signed the declaration section.

8.Submission Details
• Submit your application to the designated provincial agriculture office or CCRFOC-Secretariat Office at MAL HQ. Ensure submission is before the stated deadline 30th January 2025.
• Retain a copy of your application for reference.
• If you have questions or need assistance, contact the CCRFOC-Secretariat support team via phone: 27734

26/11/2024

Hello Pacific cocoa growers. The commodity cocoa dry bean price as of 22 November 2024 was US$8,671. The Internationsl Cocoa Organization (ICCO) market report for October 2024 highlights the following;
- Côte d'Ivoire's bean supply, which is 40% of international supply, is lower than previous years putting upwards pressure on price.
- High rainfall in west Africa has effected cocoa quality by interrupting fermentation and drying.
- international bean grinding (consumption) is increasing, further increasing price pressure.
- Seasonal supply forecasts for west Africa are currently inconclusive.

Cocoa dry bean price remains high compared to historical averages.

27/10/2024

The causes of high failure rate in poultry business:

1) Lack of Technical knowledge.

It is regrettable that many people and organizations have ventured into poultry farming without technical knowledge. Knowledge of poultry farming techniques are required before anyone can operate the business profitably.

2) Management Problem.

An incompetent management may not be able to operate a profitable poultry farm. The managers of the farm must know what they are employed to do and posses the ability to do it.

Some poultry managers fail to recognise the peculiarity of poultry farming in their management style, thereby preparing good ground for losses in the venture. Many managers do not recognize the need for timely planning and control in running the farm.

3) Diseased Breeds.

Some fertilized eggs meant to be hatched in the incubator could be infected with disease from the parent stock. This means that before the eggs were hatched they had been diseased. If the disease are not detected and treated on time, the affected birds may die sooner or later.

4) Hygiene Deficiency.

There is a minimum hygiene condition that must exist in any poultry farm if the birds are to remain healthy and produce maximally for profit. The poultry farm must be kept clean always; the droppings should be cleared on time before they constitute an agent of disease.

5) Poor feeding condition and wastage of feed.

The birds need to be fed well in the pens in order to produce maximum meat and eggs (either of which may be the purpose for running the farm).

The birds are fed with varying quantities of feed at different stages and with the appropriate feed. The various feeds are chicks mash, grower mash and layer mash, which must be sufficiently rich to give the birds the required nutrients to grow healthy and produce optimally.

6) Security.

A poultry farm must be established in a secured place to ward off enemies of birds, such as rats, soldier ants, snakes, wild birds, etc. Most of these enemies are agents of disease that could lead to an epidemic on the farm, and they kill the birds directly as well.

There must be strict check on the farm workers who may be stealing the fowls and the eggs. Also, visitors may constitute a problem to the farm if they are not properly checked.

7) Housing.

Birds need minimum space and convenient place to grow well and produce maximally meat and eggs. Birds are spaced on the farm according to their ages; while the chicks need little space, growers and mature birds need more space and ventilation to perform well.

The services of a consultant may be needed to determine the appropriate spacing for the birds without which they may suffocate to death, which will be a big loss to the business.

😎 Inability to prevent, detect and control disease.

It is often said that prevention is better than cure, as far as disease are concerned and this is a true statement and relevant one to poultry farming.

A poultry farmer should know how to prevent poultry disease, as well as how to cure them. If he or she does know anything about preventive measures, the services of consultants in the field should be engaged for good result.

9) Marketing.

A marketing plan is absolutely necessary for successful commercial poultry farming, as any farmer ignorant of his or her marketing needs is bound to run into serious losses and eventual failure.

It will be ridiculous to start poultry production without knowing when, where, how and to whom to sell the fowls, eggs, feathers and droppings as they are produced. We cannot talk of profit if the meat and eggs have no ready market.

Eggs have a very short shelf life and if they are not sold quickly, they will go bad, and no one is interested in buying bad eggs. Also, birds not sold at the appropriate time will be fed at an extra cost that may make the business unprofitable. Therefore, adequate marketing strategies are needed to sell all the poultry products at the appropriate time and prices.

10) Ignoring the role of livestock consultants.

There are always practicing experts in every profession or occupation who function as consultants. They are there to proffer solutions to problems that exist in such professions at a minimum cost.

Where a livestock farmer doesn’t have adequate technical and managerial experience, he or she can consult experts for necessary advice to bridge the gap.

Even where the farmer thinks he or she has all it takes to run a farm successfully, there may be need to seek the services of experts in the field, as it is usually said that two heads are better than one.

09/10/2024

📣 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭

The Pacific School Food Network (PSFN) is seeking passionate individuals to participate in a symposium at the upcoming International Union of Nutrition Sciences International Congress of Nutrition (2025). This symposium will explore how school food and nutrition activities can transform local food systems in the Pacific Islands.

Are you a Pacific Islander working in school food or nutrition? Do you have exciting initiatives to share? We want to hear from you!

𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:

🍍 Share your knowledge and experience with a global audience.
🍉 Network with leading experts in nutrition and food systems.
🥥 Learn from innovative approaches to school food programs.

𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚:

🥬 Alignment with the symposium theme of school food and nutrition activities to transform local food systems in the Pacific Islands.
🍆 Likely benefits of attending the activity
🍠 Activities led by, and in the Pacific will be prioritised

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲:

Please complete the Expression of Interest (EoI) form (liked below or scan the QR code) by 5 PM FJ on Tuesday, October 15th.

Fill the form using the link - https://shorturl.at/7TGFA

Questions? Contact Dr. Sarah Burkhart at [email protected].

Let's work together to build a healthier future for Pacific Island children!

09/10/2024

Most people underestimate the power of this plant, grows in almost every yard, but they just throw it away... 💬👀

09/10/2024

*RAISING DAY OLD CHICKS TO GROWERS*

■Day 1-day 7
- The chicks need to be in a brooder.
What is a Brooder?
- a brooder is a simple construction that is used to raise chicks until a point they are not so vulnerable.
- brooders maybe small rooms, wood construction, brooder boxes etc.
- chicks should stay in a brooder for at least 3 weeks - 4 weeks

●How to make a good brooder!
- make sure the brooder is not cold. ( provide source of heat ie. 100,watts Bulb, hot water bottles, brooder pots, etc)
- consider constructing brooders that's not too big and not too small.
-clean and disinfect the brooder before receiving chicks
- provide enough drinkers and enough feeders
- make sure the brooder is free from insects, rodents and mature chicken.
- provide dry dusting materials (saw dust or rice husks).

■Feeding chicks between day 1-day 7
- the best feed at this age is starter (crumbs or mash). - starter crumbs
- fugo starter mash
- pembe starter mash
- at this age avoid mixing of the feed with jenga, omena, pellets etc. You can mix starter crumbs and starter mash at a proportional ration.
- Avoid feeding broiler starter crumbs for chicks that are not broilers.
●Drugs .
- chick formula (egocin,veta chick start, poltricin, vitamet chick etc, dosage (one teaspoon for 5lts, ½teaspoon for 2 litres and ¼teaspoon for one litre)
- aliseryl (this is a blend of various vitamins that will help your chicks grow fast with strength and energy. Also helps chicks boost the appetite and also helps in preventing numerous diseases). Dosage same as chick formula
- liquid paraffin- this is not the normal paraffin we use at homes. This is a medicated paraffin that helps relieve constipation, helps in digestion, prevents injuries to alimentary canal and helps chicks to pass soft droppings.
- so week one give a combinations of chick formula, aliseryl and liquid paraffin
■Give Newcastle at day 7_

Day 8- day 14
■Feeds
-Same as previous week
●Drugs
-continue with chick formula
- use coccidiostat (biosol, coccid, vetatrim, biotrim etc) in place of aliseryl. This will help to prevent coccidiocis.
- drop liquid paraffin
so, second week you give a combination of coccid+chick formula
-give gumboro vaccine at day 14

■Day 15- day 21
- feed as previous week
●Drugs
- combination of vitamin and antibiotics ( aliseryl, neoxy vitamin, miramed, agranyl etc)
- repeat Newcastle vaccine

■Day 22- day 28
●Feed .
Start introducing chick mash. (Mixing chick mash with starter )
- incase you started with crumbs, continue giving crumbs until they are 7 weeks old.
●Drugs
- give coccidiostat
- repeat gumboro at day 28.

■Week 5.
Here the chicks are old enough and can survive out of the brooder.
●Feeds
- chick mash/ chick crumbs( or mixture of mash and crumbs)
●Drugs
- vitamins.

■Week 6
Feeds- as in week 5
Drugs, coccidiostat and strexia
●Vaccinate fowl pox._

■Week 7
●Feeds
- gradually introduce growers( mix chick mash and growers)
- drugs - feed suppliments ie molar plus, vigosine or tonophos.

■Week 8
Feeds, growers mash( you can mix with pellets)
10 kgs of growers (mixed rations)- 6kgs growers mash
- 1kg jenga
- 1kg omena
-1 kg pellets
- 1/2 kg wheat flour
-¼kg sunflower
-¼kg cotton
●Drugs
-vitamins and antibiotics
-vaccinate fowl typhoid.

07/10/2024

CAPSICUM FARMING

Growing capsicum (bell peppers) successfully requires attention to certain conditions and practices. Here are three key tips:

Choose the Right Location and Soil:

Location: Capsicum plants need a lot of sunlight, so choose a location that gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. They thrive in warm temperatures, ideally between 21°C to 29°C (70°F to 85°F).
Soil: The soil should be well-drained, fertile, and rich in organic matter. Capsicum plants prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Before planting, enrich the soil with compost or well-rotted manure to ensure it has sufficient nutrients.
Proper Watering and Mulching:

Watering: Capsicum plants need consistent moisture, but they should not be waterlogged. Water the plants regularly, especially during dry spells, but avoid wetting the foliage to prevent fungal diseases. Deep watering encourages the roots to grow deeper and helps the plants withstand dry periods.
Mulching: Applying mulch around the base of the plants helps retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. Organic mulches like straw, grass clippings, or wood chips are ideal as they also break down and add nutrients to the soil over time.
Pruning and Staking:

Pruning: Prune the lower leaves and any suckers (small shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of disease. This also directs the plant’s energy towards producing fruits rather than excessive foliage.
Staking: Capsicum plants can become heavy with fruit and may need support to prevent the branches from breaking. Use stakes or cages to support the plants, especially as they grow larger and start bearing fruit. This keeps the plants upright, reduces the risk of disease, and makes harvesting easier

02/10/2024

MAL Plant Doctors continues rollout of PHC activities.

Farmers in the Solomon Islands will soon be able to have access to frequent plant health clinic programs where they can take sick (infected) plants (crops and vegetables) to, for diagnosis and recommended treatment - much like we visit a local medical clinic when we are not feeling well (sick).

For Solomon Islands plant health clinic project (PHC) is headed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) in partnership with Kastom Garden Association (KGA) and Solomon Islands National University (SINU). Activities will first be targeting Honiara City and Guadalcanal, Western and Malaita provinces.
As part of rollout of activities, the MAL extension and research PHC team, this week conducted PHC Training of Trainers (TOT) for agriculture extension officers of Honiara Urban City, Guadalcanal and Rennel and Bellona provinces, at the Parangiju mountain lodge, central Guadalcanal province.

Today (Tuesday 1st Oct), the TOT participants were put to the task for their first field PHC engagement at Kwai village, Malango ward in Central Guadalcanal and the outcome was pleasing according to head of the training workshop Maria Gharuka.

Their second PHC field activity is set for Thursday 3rd Oct. at the Korona Market area.
Already the MAL PHC team had conducted in Munda another TOT for agriculture officers in Western province.
Plant health clinics is an activity of a five-year regional project funded by ACIAR and known as Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific Islands. It focuses on integrated crop management (ICM) and identifying plant health management strategies.

The project, Strengthening Integrated Crop Management Research in the Pacific Islands in Support of Sustainable Intensification of High-Value Crop Production, is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) with regional activities coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

Its aim is also to build and sustain the capacity to develop integrated crop management (ICM) strategies to support the sustainable intensification of high-value crop production for export and domestic markets in the Pacific Islands.
Recently plant health clinics were held at New Zealand Camp Bloody Ridge Zone 4, for farmers under the Honiara Urban City.

Some of the key problems presented at the clinic were Gummy stem blight on water melon, Large cabbage moth on saladeer, Whiteflies on local chilly, 28 spotted beetles on eggplant, slippery kabis shoot borer, diamond back moth on saladeer, thrips on Guava fruit, lady bird beetle, bacterial soft rot on ball cabbage and too much used of fertilizer to Chinese cabbages.
Another PHC was also held at Aruligo, North West Guadalcanal for farmers under Guadalcanal province. Some of the key problems presented farmers there were broad mite on capsicum, Leaf miner on slippery cabbage, banana scab moth on banana fruit, sweet potato leaf folder on sweet potato leafs, white fly, scale and sooty mould on guava, cassava brown leaf spot on cassava, tomato fruit splitting on tomato fruit, and too much used of fertilizer to melon.

So far more than 40 extension officers from Honiara Urban City, Western, Malaita, Guadalcanal and Rennel and Belonna Provinces have undergone PHC training of trainers’ program with the aim to continue implementing plant health clinics in their respective provinces.

End/// with photos
Source: MAL Media

1. Group photo with Farmers of Kwai community, Malango ward Central Guadalcanal

2. MAL PHC project Coordinator Maria Gharuka interviewing a farmer during the plant health clinic at Kwai community

3. Plant Doctors consulting a farmer with his infected crops

4. Plant Doctor Caroline Harunari of Honiara Urban City agriculture extension closely examine an infected crop

5. Cocoa farmer seeking advice on cocoa black pod’s management

6. PHC Training of Trainers session underway at Parangiju Mountain Lodge, Central Guadalcanal

7. A mother explaining to the Plant Doctors her infected banana bunch

26/09/2024

MISTAKES FARMERS MAKE IN POULTRY FARMING

1.)Not knowing the market: Some farmers jump into poultry farming without checking what people really want to buy.They don’t study the market first which is a big mistake.Learn about market demand.Obey the laws of demand and supply.Don't produce what the market isn't interested in.

2.)Not taking it seriously: Poultry farming isn’t just about selling eggs and meat. It’s a real business that needs good planning and management. If you don’t treat it seriously, you won’t succeed in it.

3.)No clear goal: Big poultry farms didn’t just pop up overnight. They had a plan and worked towards it. If you want to grow big you need to have a goal and work hard to reach it.

4.)Going it alone: Trying to do everything by yourself without getting help from experts can make things harder. It’s better to learn from people who know what they’re doing.

5.)Giving up too easily: Farming can be tough and things might go wrong.Risks such as theft, diseases or bad weather are bound to happen but giving up isn’t the answer. You have to keep going and learn from the challenges.

6.)Wanting to get rich quick: Some farmers want to make a lot of money fast, but that can lead them to fall for scams. It’s better to build your business slowly and steadily and learn from your experiences.

In short, to succeed in poultry farming, you need to understand what buyers want, manage your farm well, have a goal, get advice from experts, be tough when problems come, and grow your business step by step.
Poultry farming guide book its sent to you on WhatsApp at cost of 10us dollars only- interested WHATSAPP US

26/09/2024

𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 Broiler𝘆s 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴

𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 and 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 are two types of chickens that are raised for different purposes. Here are the differences between broiler and layer farming:

1. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Broilers are raised for meat production, while layers are raised for egg production.

2. 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: Broiler chickens are typically meat breeds, while layer chickens are egg-laying breeds.

3. 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲: Broilers grow at a faster rate than layers, reaching market weight in 6–8 weeks, while layers reach maturity at around 20 weeks.

4. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Broilers require a high-protein diet to promote muscle growth, while layers require a balanced diet that includes calcium for eggshell production.

5. 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: Broilers are typically housed in large open floor spaces or in cages, while layers are often housed in battery cages or free-range systems.

6. 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Broilers are typically raised with 24 hours of light to promote growth, while layers require a specific amount of light to encourage egg production.

7. 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Broilers require less space per bird compared to layers, as they are usually raised for a shorter period of time.

8. 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲: Broilers have a higher mortality rate compared to layers as they are raised at higher densities and are prone to health issues due to rapid growth.

9. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲: Broilers have a higher market value per bird compared to layers as they are sold for meat production.

10. 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻: Broilers have a shorter lifespan compared to layers, as they are typically raised for a period of 6–8 weeks, while layers can produce eggs for up to 2 years.

11. 𝗘𝗴𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Broilers do not produce eggs, while layers are specifically bred for high egg production.

12. 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Broilers are typically more docile and less active compared to layers, which are more active and can be territorial.

13. 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Broilers and layers require different vaccination protocols as they are raised for different purposes .

22/09/2024

MANAGING CASH FLOW AS A SMALL- SCALE FARMER

As a small-scale farmer, it’s important to recognize that money doesn’t always come in all at once. Harvesting your crops or raising your livestock is only part of the journey—selling the produce can take time, especially when the market is slow or buyers are hard to find. This means that income might trickle in gradually, making cash flow management crucial.

Planning ahead is essential: budget for your ongoing expenses and set aside funds whenever possible to cover unexpected costs. Diversify your income streams with additional on-farm or off-farm activities that can bring in regular earnings between harvests. By staying patient, managing your resources wisely, and seeking new opportunities, you can maintain stability even when sales are slow. Remember, farming is a marathon, not a sprint—steady growth and smart planning will keep your farm moving forward.

Regards,
Dr. Adarsha Gowda
Chairperson of Entrepreneurship Consultancy
Head, Dept of Food Science,
Dept of Food Processing ,
St Aloysius (Deemed to be University)
Mangaluru, Karnataka, India

20/09/2024

# **MAL secures USD$19.8m funding from IFAD to support rural farmers**

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) has secured and is anticipating to receive soon a funding support of USD$19.8 million from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).

This is made possible through the Agricultural Investment for Markets and Nutrition project (AIM-N) and will be financed through grant ($10.8M) and loan ($9M).

Minister for MAL Honourable Franklyn Derek Wasi revealed in Parliament recently.

“The final major project (for 2024) that we will soon receive is from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD). It is called the Agricultural Investment for Markets and Nutrition project or AIM-N in short. It is worth around USD$19.8 million also financed through grant ($10.8M) and loan ($9M). It is expected to commence before end of the year, for the next six years.

“This project mostly will cover Western, Choiseul and Isabel provinces. This project will provide direct funding to our rural farmers and stakeholders involved in the sector,” Minister Wasi said when informing Parliament on the donor funded projects being implemented through his ministry (MAL).

He also added that** **has been very fortunate to receive a total funding of US$15 million from World Bank for the Solomon Islands Agriculture Rural Transformation (SIART) project.

“This project is financed through grant and loan arrangements. It commenced in 2022 and will lapse in 2026. The project mainly focuses on Guadalcanal, Makira and Malaita provinces and targets all subsectors in agriculture except, cattle, kava and betelnut. Due to the stringent measures imposed by the World Bank office in New York and the lack of capacity within the ministry to implement such a large project, we have been slow to roll it out but we are now picking up speed. This project focuses on building the capability of rural farm associations to increase agricultural production and improve market access in selected value chains.

“The project will shortly enter into grant agreements with twenty grantees, each of whom will receive between $220,000 and $440,000 from the three provinces.

“The ministry is further fortunate to have another ongoing project through Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) called STODAS. It stands for Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems. This is a fully grant based project, worth around USD$3 million and will end in 2026.

“Speaker Sir, though the ministry is receiving these huge funding support from our multilateral organizations, they do come with their own strict requirements and some of these are not properly designed at the start, coupled with our own inefficiencies such as lack of clear coordination guidelines among these different projects, and so, they do not necessarily solve many of our existing challenges. And if they do, it will be some years later that we will slowly come to appreciate their successes,” Minister Wasi underscored.

Meanwhile, the Minister said the Ministry recognizes its own shortcomings and challenges therefore, they are working closely together to overcome many of them thereby, grow our agriculture to become resilient and attractive to our citizens. “Only then, we should be able to effectively engage our rural people to go into agriculture production and agribusiness, and move away from bombarding members of Parliament for assistance.

“And to start with, GNUT government is expected to increase the budget allocation for my ministry in the financial year 2025 budget.

“There is huge potential in the agriculture sector and as the minister for MAL, I will ensure that GNUT government places the highest priority in agriculture in terms of providing resources among others.

“I will ensure that my technical officers in the ministry take to heart the policy priorities of GNUT government and implement them accordingly,” he stressed.

He further said that as a responsible Minister, he will give his full assurance to the people of Solomon Islands that agriculture is and will be on the rise and our people will see a new dawn.

“The Ministry will strive to implement a long-term sustainable development of our agriculture sector, by making it attractive to our youths and shifting from being a food production base only to becoming a profit-making entity as well. Through these new approaches, we hope to make agriculture the business for everyone in order to make it the economic backbone of Solomon Islands,” Minister Wasi said.

***Ends////with photo***

📷

Hon. Minister Franklyn Derek Wasi and his Permanent Secretary Dr. Samson Viulu and MAL staff during a ceremony of grant agreement signing with the first five Agribusiness Producers Organizations grant recipients under SIART project.

**Source: MAL Media

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Temo Agro

23/12/2024

26/11/2024

27/10/2024

09/10/2024

09/10/2024

09/10/2024

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