BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
Chief Agriculture Field Officer of Western Province, Sipuru Rove, has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) to rethink its approach to supporting farmers.
He stressed that the repetitive provision of basic tools is no longer enough to improve productivity in the agriculture sector.
Speaking to Island Sun, Rove said tools currently being distributed—such as brush knives, copra knives, drums, nets and bags have remained unchanged for decades and offer little impact on large-scale agricultural development.
“I started my career as an Agriculture Officer in 1991 and I see no difference in the types of assistance we give to our farmers. These tools alone cannot make any difference,” he said.
Rove emphasized the need to shift focus toward mechanization and infrastructure development, particularly for coconut plantations, which he says are significantly underutilized due to poor access and outdated farming methods.
“If we want to see the potential of our coconut industry, we must start thinking beyond just brush knives.
“We must start thinking about rehabilitation or construction of roads on huge coconut plantations and provide plantation owners with tractors, trailer motorbikes and ploughing equipment,” he said.
Rove said many coconut plantations across the country remain unmanaged or inaccessible due to a lack of essential infrastructure, making it difficult for farmers to maximize their land’s potential or move products to markets efficiently.
“I strongly believe that making such machineries available to farmers will help boost the country’s agriculture sector,” he said.
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