Vanuatu chicken farmers benefit from PNG

Vanuatu farmers have benefited from PNG in raising their own chickens at village level for food security and income generation.

Through a regional project implemented by PNG’s National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), with funding support from the  European Union, more farmers have observed improvements in village chicken farming with increases in egg production, chicken numbers and income.

NARI livestock scientist Martin Lobao said farmers had expressed satisfaction at the outcomes of their labour after using improved skills and techniques imparted by NARI experts.

Unlike PNG, Vanuatu doesn’t have a domestic poultry industry for commercial eggs and frozen chickens. All poultry-based products are imported, mostly from New Zealand.

The initiative has enabled local farmers to produce their own chickens to meet their protein and income needs.

Lobao said that farmers were also doing well with food crop farming, food processing, livestock feed development and soil and water management.

Some of the agricultural products developed under this arrangement are seen in  convenience shops and common places like the airport and markets, he said after returning from a recent visit to several project sites.

Similar support is also provided to Solomon Island farmers.