Cocoa farmers from East Guadalcanal have described the cocoa training conducted by ADRA as a new learning opportunity for their Cocoa Farmers.
Community Facilitator and village organiser Mr. Wilson Vavate highlighted this during the official closing of the two-week training held at Oa Village in East Guadalcanal.
The training was funded by the Australian Government (DFAT) and implemented by ADRA through its Sustainable Economic and Agricultural Solutions (SEAS) Project that started from 13–20 November. 40 participants from surrounding communities including Vatulava, Haimabulu, Sava, and other nearby villages were able to attend the training.
The training has focused on key cocoa-farming topics such as: IPDM, Nursery Management, Planting Techniques, Pruning,Grafting,Site and Pond Selection, Seed Selection, Fermentation, as well as providing other vital information related to cocoa production.
Two SEAS Project Officers, Reidly Harold and Duran Taupongi, together with one ADRA volunteer, facilitated the sessions with support from the Oa community.
Mr. Wilson Vavate, a Community Facilitator who also lives with a special need, spoke on behalf of the community regarding the impact of the training.
“We really appreciate this training conducted here. We see it as very important and timely for our community.”
“We have never had such cocoa training delivered here in past years because we are isolated from town. But we thank ADRA for coming down to our remote community to facilitate this cocoa training,” Mr. Vavate said.
The SEAS Project was an expansion of the SOUL Cocoa initiative that aimed to support 2,500 cocoa Farmers across Guadalcanal, Malaita, Vella Lavella, and Honiara in achieving sustainable livelihoods and economic resilience through improved yields, training in best practices, and access to quality planting materials.
SEAS Project Officer, Mr. Duran Taupongi, described the training as one of the most successful training conducted in a remote community in Guadalcanal.
“I would say that this training was one of the most successful training we have conducted in one of the remote communities here in Guadalcanal, especially for cocoa farmers who have hardly received any training in the past,” Mr. Taupongi said.
He acknowledges their support, their presence, and their willingness to attend and learn.
‘’The knowledge they have gained from us will help them when they return to their communities to implement what they have learned from the training,’’Taupongi concluded.
The SEAS Project addresses the long-standing challenge of low cocoa productivity, limited market access, and fragile livelihoods among smallholder cocoa Farmers in Solomon Islands.
While cocoa is a significant source of income in rural areas, farming households often lack the resources, training, and organizational support needed to improve yields, reduce losses, and increase income. These challenges are further compounded by climate vulnerability, gender inequalities, and limited institutional support.
End///
[ADRA COMMS]
