UBDDA Partner With CIC To Support Coffee Farmers
L-R: CICL Marketing & Partnerships Program Manager Leo Aroga, Chief Operations Officer Steven Tumae, Unggai-Bena a/District Financial Manager Simon David and CICL Corporate Services Manager Smith Babah during the first installment payment of K100, 000 by the UBDDA at the CIC headquarters in Goroka on Tuesday, 14 November 2023.
The Unggai Bena District Development Authority (UBDDA) and the Coffee Industry Corporation Ltd (CICL) have entered on a three-year partnership (2023-2025) to progress and increase coffee production in the district.
Following a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which was signed in September 2023, the Unggai Bena MP Hon.Kinoka Hotune committed K2 million under this partnership for coffee development work in his electorate. The first installment payment of K100, 000.00 was presented to CICL on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 to commence work in the district.
CICL Chief Operations Officer Steven Tumae upon receiving the cheque payment from the UBDDA Financial Manager Simon David this week thanked the Unggai Bena MP Hon. Kinoka Hotune and his team for their commitment towards the MOA in ensuring funds were made available to start implementation of activities under the MOA.
The CICL will be providing technical support and advice, procurement of farm materials and training to coffee farmers under well-established cooperative groups in the Unggai Bena area.
Tumae added that it is a kina to kina partnership and his team stands prepared to assist roll out the respective activities in the next three years under this partnership.
“This is the first installment payment of the K2m as committed by the good MP and we acknowledge his support and vision to help coffee farmers in his electorate.
He said under the UBDDA’s Empowerment Program, coffee nursery development is one activity that the MP intends to support farmers to see his district be a coffee role model to other districts in the province.
Tumae said the MP will not give free school fee assistance to anyone. The assistance that will be given is tied to coffee development in the district. He wants to see young people get into coffee work and show evidence that they can plant 500 coffee trees per student/child to receive school fee assistance. He added that the Unggai Bena MP is not only developing the human resources of Unggai Bena, but also empowering the youths with economic activity in the event that they do not find employment in the formal sector, they have something at home to support them.
“This partnership will also contribute towards the MTDP4 objectives and CIC Strategic Business Plan to increase coffee production to 3 million bags by 2030,” he said.
Tumae highlighted that CICL alone cannot deliver coffee extension work and support to farmers in all coffee growing areas and support as such from the UBDDA is commended.
