TAIWAN Technical Mission (TTM) in Honiara in its food security objective, last week held a workshop and distributed cassava seedlings to Kukudu Adventist College (KAC) in the Western province.
The training was held on Friday – 4th August and was organised by TTM through the support and cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) under the Food Crop Improvement Project 2016-2019.
The project focuses on citizens’ staple food as the traditional root and tuber crops in Solomon Islands which include cassava, taro, sweet potato and yam.
In a statement yesterday, specialist Charles Huang from TTM said that he was happy with the project so far.
“We have successfully multiplied 10 high-yield cassava verities in TTM KGVI farm in Guadalcanal and distributed some to Kukudu.”
A teacher from the Kukudu has acknowledged the TTM’s contribution for preparing the training course and distributing the new cassava seedlings.
The students have been challenged that some of them will soon graduate from the school, the skills they are learning will definitely help them in the future.
The teacher added that providing varieties of healthy seedlings can help the school to find out the best one by recording the yields and organoleptic test in the kitchen.
Specialist Huang said that he believed that the Kukudu Adventist College has great potential to be a foundation for further extension of these high yield varieties.
“This is just the beginning, we would like to do many things here for improving farmers’ livelihoods,” he said.
Ha added that he is looking forward to return to the college during the 8 to 9 months’ growth period to check the yield performance of the 10 varieties being planted at Kukudu.
By LESLEY SANGA
