By MAL TAIME
LIVESTOCK and agriculture sector is vital to sustain and improve livelihoods of small people in rural areas throughout the country.
A group of farmers have welcomed a recent announcement by Minister for National Planning Paul Tiensten that K100 million allocated under 2010 budget for National Agriculture Development Program (NADP) must be diverted to districts.
Farmers in Jiwaka supported the call made by Minister Tiensten regarding the previous budget allocated for (NADP) which could only be accounted for by Department of Agriculture.
They said officers were already on the ground to make sure agriculture and livestock activities are carried out to help improve the lives of people.
Mr Tiensten told Parliament that a comprehensive report on the expenditure of the funds could be obtained from the department and not from his office.
He said this was because the Agriculture Department was the agent disbursing the money under the program at that time. The farmers said they supported Mr Tiensten call, saying it would motivate them to work their land and grow more cash crops and look after livestock.
These were the remarks made by the facilitators, livestock/agriculture and National Research Institute (NARI) officers during the graduation ceremony for more than 30 farmers from Jiwaka and Western Highlands Province last Friday.
The farmers attended a week-long training course at Minj district office to gain more skills on running piggeries and planting and caring for kaukau during dry season. Speaking on their behalf, District Rural Development Officer for South Wahgi Pinge Palme said the Government was allocating more funds to do such work but the money was not filtering down to district level.
Mr Palme said funds allocated for districts did not reach districts and he blamed the elite at the top for this.
Mr Palme said money allocated for agriculture was not used for that purpose and thanked Mr Tiensten for his comment.
He said Mr Tiensten’s announcement to make sure the funds went direct to the districts would benefit the people because most of the farmers at the village work through hardship.
The graduation ceremony was attended by Deputy Western Highlands Provincial Administrator (Jiwaka Affairs) Daniel Nop Amban, NARI officers and provincial agriculture and livestock officers.
The farmers said they were the first people to attend such an important course and it was good to hear Mr Tiensten supporting agriculture and livestock to help the rural people.
A group of farmers have welcomed a recent announcement by Minister for National Planning Paul Tiensten that K100 million allocated under 2010 budget for National Agriculture Development Program (NADP) must be diverted to districts.
Farmers in Jiwaka supported the call made by Minister Tiensten regarding the previous budget allocated for (NADP) which could only be accounted for by Department of Agriculture.
They said officers were already on the ground to make sure agriculture and livestock activities are carried out to help improve the lives of people.
Mr Tiensten told Parliament that a comprehensive report on the expenditure of the funds could be obtained from the department and not from his office.
He said this was because the Agriculture Department was the agent disbursing the money under the program at that time. The farmers said they supported Mr Tiensten call, saying it would motivate them to work their land and grow more cash crops and look after livestock.
These were the remarks made by the facilitators, livestock/agriculture and National Research Institute (NARI) officers during the graduation ceremony for more than 30 farmers from Jiwaka and Western Highlands Province last Friday.
The farmers attended a week-long training course at Minj district office to gain more skills on running piggeries and planting and caring for kaukau during dry season. Speaking on their behalf, District Rural Development Officer for South Wahgi Pinge Palme said the Government was allocating more funds to do such work but the money was not filtering down to district level.
Mr Palme said funds allocated for districts did not reach districts and he blamed the elite at the top for this.
Mr Palme said money allocated for agriculture was not used for that purpose and thanked Mr Tiensten for his comment.
He said Mr Tiensten’s announcement to make sure the funds went direct to the districts would benefit the people because most of the farmers at the village work through hardship.
The graduation ceremony was attended by Deputy Western Highlands Provincial Administrator (Jiwaka Affairs) Daniel Nop Amban, NARI officers and provincial agriculture and livestock officers.
The farmers said they were the first people to attend such an important course and it was good to hear Mr Tiensten supporting agriculture and livestock to help the rural people.
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