Philippines extends help to Papua New Guinea in developing rice sector

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will help Papua New Guinea develop its rice industry through the establishment of a rice farm model.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol recently met with Papua New Guinea Agriculture and Livestock Minister Benny Allan to discuss the establishment of a rice model farm equipped with modern farming technology in Papua New Guinea.

“While it will be a government to government collaboration, a private company will handle the farm. We will provide the capital, technology, equipment and workers,” Pinol said.

“We will make Papua New Guinea rice self-sufficient in a few years. Anything in excess will be exported to the Philippines and its neighboring islands, such as Solomon Islands, Samoa Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, among others,” he added.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will send 22 Filipino farmers to assist in the field trial of five rice varieties from the Philippine Rice Research Institute.

The DA proposed to cultivate an initial 100,000 hectares as production area, which will increase as the project evolves.

Papua New Guinea has 46 million hectares of arable land with a population of only eight million. It imports about 300,000 to 400,000 metric tons of rice annually.

The two countries are set to ink a memorandum of agreement in the first quarter.

Under the draft agreement, both parties are expected to promote mutual consultation, exchange of technical assistance, and joint research and development activities.

During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last November, the Oceanian nation considered the appeal of the Philippines regarding offshore tuna processing which would affect the country’s local industry.

Papua New Guinea originally wants all tuna catch to be processed in its country which will affect several livelihoods.