Nine roads in the Highlands region constructed by Coffee Industry Cooperation’s Partnerships in Agriculture projects is helping many coffee farmers in the region.
The improved roads system has enabled buyers to go to the grower’s door steps to buy coffee.
Eastern Highlands, Jiwaka and Western Highlands, the three main Arabica coffee growing provinces have benefited from this project.
The 50 kilometers Okapa link is one of nine economic roads costing K28 million.
Coffee growers, Amox Buka, says the improved road system has motivated them to look after coffee tress well and to plant more.
The road is rehabilitated by local contractors financed by the World Bank’s International Fund for Agricultural Development.
According to the CIC, about 1000 tonnes of coffee from rural areas are unable to reach the market because of deteriorating of roads thus a contributing factor to the decline of national coffee production and export figures.
The success of this rehabilitation projects is made possible through the World Bank and the PNG Government through the K120 million PNG Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification project.