ESP Governor welcomes development partners

The East Sepik Governor, Allan Bird, has welcomed a partnership arrangement to work with World Bank and International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) in the province.

The World Bank and IFAD, are financing Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP) implementing cocoa and coffee rehabilitation with lead partners and farmers in the country including the hinterland of East Sepik.

The delegation travelled to East Sepik on Monday along the Sepik highway to check the status of rehabilitation activities especially setting up of nurseries at project sites in Maprik and Yangoru districts.

It was an opportunity for farmers to share issues involving the project with the mission members.

Bird told the officials that focus on the employment and the agriculture sector as long term agendas for the province can employ close to 300,000 of some 600,000 people of East Sepik province.

“As a governor I’m looking for partnerships. We need people to come in to partner to achieve that.”

Bird added that the Frieda River mine is expected to generate between K30 million to K40 million for the East and West Sepik Provinces, but the impact in terms of employment will be minimal.

”Agriculture is the biggest employer. I therefore assure you from my end the fullest support for the World Bank and IFAD for cocoa and coffee development work in the province.”


Author: 
Freddy Mou