Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA)

This was made possible through Santos’ partnership with the Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) and the PNG Mining & Petroleum Hospitality Services (PNGMPHS).

Over sixty youths in Pimaga have come together to form the Daga Youth Group, comprising their mothers and fathers.

FPDA worked with and trained young farmers and their families to increase their capacity to produce high-quality organic vegetables. The training included soil preparation, composting, natural pesticides and how to grow, transplant and maintain healthy crops.

As a result, there has been an economic contraction and wider financing gaps in the external and fiscal accounts, which have affected the Papua New Guinea (PNG) economy.

Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) is no exception, as 90 percent of its Capital Investment Projects and Recurrent Grants are funded through the national government budget on an annual basis.

Chief Executive Officer, Mark Worinu made these remarks last Friday when presenting the 2021 Annual Report to the Secretary for Agriculture, Dr Sergie Beng.

The organisation has raised its corporate integrity and improved value for its services and products which attracted a number of major projects, being funded by reputable organisations and investors.

FPDA board chairman, Fabian Chow said through effective implementation of these projects, FPDA aims to qualify itself to become the centre of excellence in project management in the near future.

As part of meeting statutory requirements, the report provides public disclosure of FPDA's operating and financial activities in 2021.

The performance report is based mostly on the implementation of the annual operational plan and budget.

The results were derived directly from the respective programs and priority projects and were measured against the targets of the annual plan, MTP3, and the Government's medium-term plan III (MTDP Ill).

Chief Executive Officer for FPDA, Mark Worinu when speaking at the signing of a financial support agreement between FPDA and two lead farmers of a new emerging cash crop industry, Galip-Nut’ clarified that FPDA, through the Market for Village Farmers (MVF) have recognized their work and committed to support them financially.

The two Galip-Nut lead farmers are Frangipani Foods Ltd from East New Britain and SOJONA Integrated Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihood (SISAL) from Madang Province.

FPDA echoed the show's theme “Be Productive” by urging every citizen in the country to be productive by contributing in producing food through growing fruits and vegetables.

FPDA's participation in the 60th Diamond Jubilee of the annual Morobe Agricultural Show reinforced in people the urgency to take farming as a business to trigger an improved and sustainable livelihood.

At the show, FPDA participated in providing advisory on the various food crops and programs that it promotes for people to grow through commercial engagements.

This is about to change, following the completion of a tissue culture laboratory for the FPDA in Kainantu, Eastern Highlands Province, which was officially opened by Australian High Commissioner, Jon Philp on Tuesday 12th September, 2023.

FPDA chief executive officer, Mark Worinu said with this new lab, the organization will carrying out its own tests. He said FPDA used to get 12,000 tissue plantlets from the NARI lab in Aiyura. However, this will be doubled once the lab is in full operation.

Five solar dryers were constructed at a cost of K200,000 in five different locations to help farmers store their onion produce before they are supplied to urban markets.

Each solar dryer cost K20,000. 

Construction in all five locations are pilot projects, once completed will be officially launched next month.

The five sites are at Sogomi in Lower Bena, Kamaiufa, Mimanalo, in Goroka, Kabiufa Secondary School in Goroka, Nipuka in Lower Asaro, Daulo, and Keremu village, Upper Asaro, Daulo.   

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between OTDF Chief Executive Officer Havini Vira and FPDA Chief Executive Officer Mark Worinu at FPDA’s head office in Goroka.

The purpose of the MoU is for OTDF and FPDA to partner in implementing food security program in the South, Middle and North Fly Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) trust regions of Western.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Aiye Tambua, strongly believes the increase in growing of bulb onions can give opportunities to local farmers. 

“Going forward we want to ban small things like onion, if we can grow them in the country why should we import more of that, so after 2-3 years if this product is gets off the road we might cut 50% of importation of onions so we give opportunity to our local farmers who are on the ground, local mothers who are on the ground so that they can earn more money in their pocket”, he stated.