Since its inception in 2022, the Trukai Smart Farmer Program and its partners have so far trained over 400 participants.
Trukai Industries Agriculture team has adopted the irrigated rice farming concept as a sustainable initiative to ensure farmers are introduced to best crop management, quality grain management and pest management systems.
Trukai Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the PNG University of Technology in Lae in 2022 and the Pacific Adventist University in Port Moresby in 2023.
With the aim of building capacity in local rice farming and supporting communities in PNG, the Trukai Smart Farmer Program has certified more than 140 rice farmers in Irrigated Rice Farming.
In June and July, a total of 201 participants attended the fourth batch of the Smart Farmer Program that were held in Lae Unitech and PAU in Port Moresby.
Many local rice farmers from all over the country attended this course with an underlying objective of going back to their areas to grow their rice and ultimately teach their community of these techniques.
Alex Kuariri, 38, from the East Sepik Province was amongst these farmers. He practices irrigation farming in his village, using this method to nurture oil palm and has a fish farm.
Having underwent the Trukai Smart Farmer Program, Kuariri explains that he has upskilled his knowledge around irrigated farming and can now extend his farming technique into growing rice.
“Though I do irrigation farming, this training from Trukai has thought me a lot about farming rice. I’m excited and I believe I have the knowledge and skills to now grow rice in my village,” said Kuariri.
He added that he plans to teach the skills he has learnt to his family and fellow farmers in his area.
“I will start educating the people in my village and lead them to grow rice. I see two benefits of farming rice, it can be for commercial purposes and the second reason is, I can take home to my family to eat, he said.
Trukai Industries’ Rice Development Manager Aina Davis explained that the Smart Farmer Training has now become accessible to all farmers nationwide because it is being taught in two main centres in PNG.
“We have now seen an increased number of participants because of the accessibility of this training. Participants can now choose their institution of choice depending on their geographical location and transportation accessibility,” said Davis.
Trukai Industries’ CEO Alan Preston described the Trukai Smart Farmer Program as a commitment to supporting local rice farmers and agriculture in Papua New Guinea.
“We continue to support local rice farmers by enhancing their rice cultivation skills, strengthening families, building communities and reaffirming our commitment to PNG through extensive agriculture programs, rice research, science, technology and development through our partnerships with leading institutions in the country,” said Preston.
The partnership with both UniTech and PAU will enable participating farmers of the Smart Farmer Program to share and access classrooms, research laboratories, and farm or field facilities for farmer training as well as undergraduate and postgraduate student training, research and development, and extension activities.
