‘Govt committed to enhancing cocoa development’

 

FARMER support under the National Cocoa development programme is currently ongoing and fixed services grants are set to cater for tools, dryer parts, trading, and capacity development.

This is according to the summary of the Democratic Coalition for Change Government policy achievements of the productive and resource sector provided to Island Sun by the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC).

The summary states that the Participatory Action Research (PAR) is when farmers are taught the art of managing cocoa trees by pruning them in a certain manner, and at certain times of the year.

This is basically to manage the pest and diseases that reduces yields and eventually income of farmers and revenue for the country.

A team of officers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock continue to tour provinces to assist farmers adopt this innovative approach.

One Participatory Action Research (PAR) LED Workshop was conducted in Honiara in March last year.

The workshop is for PAR fellows throughout the country and record states that there are 192 PAR cocoa farmers in the country.

The summary added that s successful Chocolate Week was held from 31st May to 3rd June last year.

Seven chocolatiers (chocolate makers) from the United States of America (USA) and New Zealand attended the event which saw the selection of 10 out of 80 cocoa samples receiving the best cocoa beans for chocolate.

Deals were made between the producers and chocolatiers at the end of the event.

The Government expressed its commitment to this economical agricultural resources with identified good-grade beans for chocolate production should farmers showcase the mutual commitment in farming them properly.