About 40 members of the Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA) has successfully completed a one-week workshop on Piggery and Poultry training at the Dioceses of Guadalcanal Conference Room at All Saints Compound last week.
The training was facilitated by Hearly Aleve of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The training aimed to empower women to access information on knowledge and basic technologies to develop livestock activity as a business activity for women.
Members of the SIWIBA who are aiming to start or expand in the industry as a business activity got engaged in both theory and practical field trip observation on farms involving piggery and poultry operation in Honiara.
SIWIBA member Mary Borja stated that the training has “added value on her current experience in piggery and poultry farming”.
Mrs Borjia added that the training has given her new knowledge especially on commercial farming and also shed light on ways to improve her current farming skills.
During the official closing on Friday, invited guest Lilly Wane of Women in Agriculture stated that the Solomon Islands government has recognized the importance of women participating in agriculture and has set an initiative to support women groups who uphold agriculture as way for Solomon Islands food security.
Mrs Wane said SIWIBA has recently shared the part of that government support to encourage women not in the course for business alone, but also in food security.
She stressed that in the agriculture sector, training without practical or action is not productivity, but training and putting in place actions and lesson learnt is productivity.
President of Solomon Islands Women in Business Association Dalcy Tekulu acknowledged the positive response of the Ministry of Agriculture training facilitator and SIWIBA members for their support in making the training successful.
Members were awarded certificates for successfully accomplishing the piggery and poultry husbandry and management workshop.