The Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (coffee component) is an impact project with transparent and accountable systems to service better farmers.
The chief executive officer of Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC), Charles Dambui, praised the PPAP modality while welcoming the 13th World Bank-led implementation support mission to Goroka on 4 October, 2017. The mission included officials from IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development), GoPNG reps from DAL and Treasury. They met with CIC-PPAP team to discuss progress of coffee rehabilitation in the country.
“We had some coffee development programs funded by donors but this (PPAP) is one of our impact projects.
“We intend to complete and deliver the outcomes on time,” said CEO Dambui.
The principle aim of the rehabilitation effort is to improve the livelihood of 30,000 farmers covered under the project. There is a need to cover more as there are 524,400 coffee growing households.
“What we learning from CIC perspective is the PPAP modality. It is transparent and accountable.
“Our long term goal is to integrate the practice into CIC’s operations,” adds Dambui.
The CIC is already applying the stringent World Bank procurement process to engage contractors for construction of its office space in Lae city, which will manage coffee export functions from Lae port.
Task team leader Stephane Forman of World Bank was impressed with CIC’s appreciation of the project modality.
He said an important aspect of the project is sustainability and how CIC can take over and integrate into its programs to continue servicing the farmers the PPAP way.
Manager of Farmers and Extension Services, Matei Labun, explained in the meeting that integration has already taken effect in the field, especially in extension services.
“CIC officers in remote Simbai and Kovon (Middle Ramu), East New Britain, East Sepik and other provinces where PPAP is operating are serving farmers taking part in improving their gardens.”
Present at the meeting were also senior CIC officers taking charge of the coffee berry borer (CBB) operations. Dr Reuben Sengere presented to the mission an update on the containment and eradication efforts in Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands Provinces where the pest is currently present.
Members of the 13th ISM includes task team leader Forman, agriculture specialists Allan Oliver and Brenna Moore, Eric Blackburn (procurement), David Whitehead (finance management), Nick Valentine (environment), John Lowsby (consultant engineer), Ravi Corea (consultant MIS), Jonas Bautista (safeguards specialist), Tom Callander (consultant social safeguards), Dan Vadnjal (IFAD consultant – economist) and Agnes Deshormes (IFAD).
The PNG government team on the mission includes DAL Deputy Secretary Steven Mombi, John Kendiga, Clement Kunandi (DAL) and Ms Roselyn Eram of Treasury.
On Thursday 5 October, the mission heard from some of CIC-PPAP lead partners implementing coffee rehabilitation activities with farmers and later in the afternoon, inspected some coffee gardens and CBB operations in the Asaro Valley.
The mission will continue to visit coffee and also cocoa rehabilitation projects and participating lead partners and farmers in Morobe, Madang, East Sepik and East New Britain until Thursday 19 October.
The coffee rehabilitation is a CIC project through the Department of Agriculture & Livestock. It is financed by a loan facility from World Bank and IFAD with support funding from PNG Government.
(File pic)