North Malaita Cocoa Farmers Gain Skills in Collaborative Training

Cocoa farmers in the North Malaita Constituency recently gained valuable skills and knowledge to boost their farming practices and increase production through a successful training held at Manakwai from March 10th to 13th, 2025.

The North Malaita Constituency office initiated and funded the training in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL).

MAL technical officers led the training, which incorporated both theoretical instruction and hands-on-field session.

Cocoa farmers in Manakwai underwent a hands-on experience facilitated by MAL and Constituency 

Speaking on behalf of the Constituency Office, Constituency Accountant Officer (CAO) Francis Baeburi said, "Following our delivery of agriculture and fisheries equipment and tools to the constituency in January 2025, we have developed follow-up activities, and this training is a part of it."

The program's activities concentrated on the proper use of farming tools, cocoa plant management techniques like pruning and grafting, and soil testing.

Mr Baeburi added that farmers were excited and expressed satisfaction at having learned firsthand information and knowledge from specialized MAL officers and are highly encouraged.

"As part of the constituency's annual development plan and commitment, our primary aim is to encourage our people to actively participate in the rural productive sector and improve productivity particularly in cocoa as the basis for improved rural economy. This we believe will lead toward economic self-reliance for our households."

Mr Baeburi on behalf of the NMC office, expressed deep gratitude to MAL for accepting their request to conduct the training, ensuring that farmers acquired crucial agricultural knowledge and skills to enhance their farming production.

He also conveyed his appreciation to all the farmers for their patience, time, and participation, which contributed to the training's success.

He urged participants to utilize their newly acquired skills and knowledge and to share this information with others who could not attend the training.

“Our next follow-up activity will focus on fisheries and will be scheduled soon after consultation with the responsible ministry,” Mr. Baeburi announced.

He clarified, “These activities are a continuation and ongoing implementation of our 2024 work plan. We look forward to improving on what we have started once the CDF budget for this year is available.” 

He noted that the NMC Office funded the current farmers' program under its 2024 CDF budget.

The MRD commended the collaboration between MAL and the Constituency Office for the successful training, asserting that this partnership in delivering Constituency Development Programs (CDP) is a positive direction for the country.

“This kind of inter-governmental agency partnership in delivering rural development initiatives such as this is encouraging and important. It is the ministry’s (MRD) plan now, going forward, to collaborate with technical ministries in terms of resources and information sharing to deliver government services for our people in the rural communities across the 50 constituencies,” stated the MRD.

The MRD affirmed its ongoing commitment to support constituency offices with resources to effectively implement their development programs aimed at improving social and economic livelihoods in rural areas.

Media Release | Ministry of Rural Development