FAO workshop encourages young agriculture entrepreneurs

The final in a series of workshops in a two year scheme to encourage young people to consider agriculture as a money making venture is being held from 1-2 December at the Parekura Conference Centre.
Heiko Bammamm is an Enterprise Development Officer with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He is based in Rome, Italy, having spent a number of years at the FAO’s regional office in Samoa.
FAO are providing technical assistance for the project as well as limited seed funding of around $4,000 for start ups such as for irrigation.
There is no reason why locally grown produce cannot replace the imported produce which costs millions of dollars each year to import. Produce from the outer islands would not only be fresher and tastier but would also generate much needed revenue and income streams to outer islands farmers. Heiko said that being successful in agriculture is about learning farm management and marketing of the produce and is very rewarding.
Most of the participants are reps from the Southern Group islands who have been taking part in the project. John Akavi from Agriculture said they had invited each participating island to send a trainer and a young farmer to the workshop with the understanding that they will pass on their knowledge and skills to their counterparts on the islands of Aitutaki, Mangaia, Mauke, Mitiaro and Atiu.
The FAO rep is very upbeat about farming as a good way of living and extols the virtues of a successful farmer as being a businessman, accountant, economist, good marketer and negotiator, and aware of modern technology. The two year project was initiated by the former Secretary of Agriculture, Nga Mataio and his successor, Anthony Brown is carrying on the good work.
Minister of Agriculture, Hon Robert Wigmore officially opened the workshop on Tuesday and invited the participants to visit his farm on Wednesday morning for a guided tour.
Minister of Justice, Hon Ioane Kete and Leader of the House, Hon John Tangi also attended the opening ceremony where Tangi quipped the workshop was giving ‘new hope’ to the agriculture industry especially in the outer islands which were feeling the ill effects of climate change more than those on Rarotonga. The MP was referring to the Pacific Parliamentary Assembly on Population and Development and Forum of Presiding Officers and Clerks (PPAPD-FPOC) meeting which addressed the issues of climate change on Pacific nations held from 16-20 November 2009 at the Edgewater Resort.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
- World famous activist assisting residents
- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?