Leaders of Western Province are saying no to compensation of land, however its people to make use of the land environmental purposes.
Member for South Fly and Minister for Livestock, Seki Agisa, called on landowners from all over the province to stop the act of compensation and make use of the land to receive the money needed.
“We have got our land to get that K150. We were just told about the K150-K200 Vanilla per Kilo and yet we keep on waiting for compensation. Not just here but it is everywhere along the river system all the way to Daru. This is a very important project everybody has to take ownership of and start heading back and toil the land,” said Agisa.
North Fly Member, James Donald, told his people that the future of the province was in their hands.
“Ok Tedi Mine is about to close and we have 8-10 more years and incase everything falls down what is the commodity that will keep us secure and lets look for people that know how to grow various commodities to assist us in farming here in the Province so that when the time comes we have food to feed or people,” said Donald.
The Kiunga Agro-Industrial Centre and Vanilla Project in Samagos village of North Fly District is one the first launch in the province and this won’t be the last.
The Agro-industrial was completed in June 2023 and the Fly Vanilla is concurrently supporting community awareness, and conducting research and development to ensure the participation and success of local smallholder farmers.