Photo credit: Embassy of Japan in Papua New Guinea
Since 2003, the Japanese government has provided K19.2 million to encourage rice production in East Sepik and Madang, according to Nobuyuki Watanabe, the Japanese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea.
“K11.2million was funded in the first phase of the promotion of smallholder rice production project from December 2003 to November 2008,” he said.
“Another extension of K8 million was later funded in the second phase of the project from December 2011 to November 2015 which included Milne Bay,” he added.
Rice is a basic cuisine of Papua New Guinea, according to him, although "it is primarily imported."
“So Papua New Guineans are aiming at improving food security in targeted provinces.
“There are 706 smallholder farmers in Madang which exceeded the set project indicator of 580 farmers.
“Madang rice ‘Magic Marasin’ is packed, semi-commercialised and sold locally in Madang which is a good indication of sustainable subsistence rice farming.
“Model farmers in Madang must continue growing rice locally for their own survival and also to improve food security in the province,” he said.
Madang Agriculture and Livestock acting assistant director Joe Naram said: “With help from the Japanese Government, we can see progress with rice farming in Madang.
“There is the land in Middle Ramu that we were carrying out feasibility studies for rice farming. K2 million will be given to the Madang Provincial Administration from the National Planning Department in the next three weeks to fund a rice farming project there,” he said.
“We are focusing on the concept of commercial rice farming for Madang.
“We will have a very big challenge in rice farming if we want to go into commercial rice farming.
“There will be arrangements made with commercial companies to get their rice supplies from our own local farmers and sell nationwide.”
Reference: The National (28 March 2022). “Japan spent K19mil growing rice”.
