The Mount Bosavi Region aims to become an Agriculture Hub for PNG, with many agriculture projects coming up this year through Mt Bosavi Sustainable Agriculture Development Initiative (SADI).
Chairman for Mt Bosavi SADI, Mr Andrew Awabi highlighted that Mt Bosavi SADI is planning on turning garden plots and sustainable agriculture for food security into cash crop farms.
“During the festive period, the people of Mt Bosavi were given both theory and practical trainings on various agriculture projects and by February we are looking at running our 2nd training.”
“By early February 2023, Mt Bosavi SADI will be conducting trainings on SME and book keeping so the people of Mt Bosavi can know how to manage the money they will be receiving from the agriculture projects.”
Awabi stated that the people of Mt Bosavi region underwent various trainings on seed handling to nursery and these trainings are to prepare them for bigger agriculture projects that will be rolled out this year.
“Commercial Agriculture is the main focus for Mt Bosavi Sustainable Agriculture Development Initiative; apart from food security and the focus will be on cash crops such as Vanilla, Coffee, Cocoa and Potatoes.”
With Potato, the Southern Highlands Provincial Government has gone into partnership with Mt Bosavi SADI and has donated seedlings to them to help them start potato projects.
“SADI is also looking at Betel-Nut, we want to be the next location for betel-nut trade in the Highlands region.”
Betel-nut is and has being the most traded cash crop in the country for decades and Mt Bosavi SADI aims to make Mt Bosavi region the next destination for betel-Nut trade in the Highlands region.
Betel-nut buyers in the Highlands often travel to Madang and even into Lae to purchase betel-nut but if Mt Bosavi SADI helps the people of Bosavi to create cash crop out of their betel-nut plots and turn them into plantations, they can be the next point for Betel-nut trade in the Highlands region.
2023 looks brighter than previous years because Mt Bosavi region will soon see a road link into the region after decades of being cut off from the rest of the country.
Mr Awabi added that a feasibility study for propose areas for road link was conducted by members of Nipa Kutubu DDA last week scoping which part of Nipa Kutubu area will be the best place to create the link in to Mt Bosavi Region.
He said there are two proposed areas, Muruma-Sisipia na Gava-Wana, but the preferred would be through Gava- and Wana because there are villages along that range unlike Muruma were there are no villages into the forest.
Mr Awabi added thanks from the people of Bosavi to the new member for Nipa Kutubu Hon. Dr Billy Joseph who after so long has recognized the need for a road link into Bosavi.
“We are hopeful the road link is done by this year or early next year so that our agriculture projects can find their way bigger markets outside of Bosavi.
Meanwhile, Mt Bosavi SADI is also focusing on making Bosavi a tourism hub with recent frequent visits from tourists going in especially to visit the extinct volcanic mountain which home too many amphibians, insects, mammals and a number of endemic species and it aims to make money from tourism too.
“Bosavi has the potential for Agriculture boom and tourism, and for decades nothing has being done to boost and grow these sectors.”
Mt Bosavi SADI is now focusing on releasing Bosavi’s full potential.