Piggery Farmers Receive Government Funded Project

East Baelelea Piggery Farmers Receive Government Funded Project

Piggery farmers in East Baelelea, North Malaita have for the first time after 29 years are engaged in a joint government funded pig breeding project.

Malaita Premier Richard Irosaea Na'amo and a provincial technical team launched the project last Saturday at Rame'ai village in North Malaita.

The project once completed will cost a total of $89,000.

The project was initially implemented with 30 piglets comprising 20 soars and 10 boars which were distributed to the first thirty households of the East Baelelea Piggery Farmers Association.

Of the total funding, the first $20,000 was expended on piglets and pig feed distributed last Saturday.

Chief Industrial Officer and Project Coordinator, George Eric said the project was jointly implemented by the national government through the Ministry of Commerce and the Malaita Provincial government.

Combined efforts involving technical experts in the field of Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries from the provincial government provided technical support and advice to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

Mr Eric said the project is part of the Provincial Government's new economic direction to engage rural farmers in development to generate income and provide employment to young people.

He said the first consignment of 30 piglets is expected to breed between 150 to 200 new piglets in December this year.

Further distribution to other households will take place when piglets reached the required period for distribution.

Mr Eric further explained that farmers will also engage in growing certain specialized crops to be curved into pig feed soon.

He said the intention is to engage farmers into feed production to reduce the cost of imported pig feed.

Another ambitious plan the group is working is the engagement of local fishermen to provide fish which will be turned into fish meal for piggery farmers.

"This is a collaborative effort that we would like rural farmers and fishermen to engage in to make them participate in rural development and to improve their livelihood," Mr Eric said.

The Malaita Provincial team has already launched a fisheries project in West Baelelea in the form of a fishing device to local fishermen in the area last month.

The provincial team will be engaged in monitoring and assisting farmers with technical advice and support to ensure the sustainability of the projects in rural areas.

Similar projects will be launched in other parts of Malaita later in year.

ENDS

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