ISOP Farmer Training and SPSN's Support

The phenomenal expansion in oil palm means there can be no doubt of its economic competitiveness as a land use under current global market conditions. But does this mean that oil palm is a more economic land use and livelihood option than alternatives for smallholders? Several scenarios emerging from the Land Settlement Schemes (LSS) somewhat test the viability of current extension methods employed by the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) to lessen.

According to official reports by PNGOPRA socio-economic studies, the incidence of food insecurity, land shortages and poor standard of living among LSS oil palm smallholders of West New Britain (WNB) is rife, presenting serious extension challenges now and in the near future.

Compared with small-scale cocoa producers of neighbouring East New Britain, among whom living standards have been improving although thriving on a seasonal crop before CPB struck, incomes netted by oil palm smallholders has been increasing monthly since 2006 as world prices rose.

Such a comparison draws questionable competence of extension methods. But lack of remedial actions often stand on OPIC’s lack of financial and skills capacity. 

Re-Organizing and Actioning

Debates on improvement to smallholder living standards in PNG's major oil palm projects focus on increased sustainable production as a way out of imminent food insecurity, but population density and socio-economic constraints are increasing in some of the same places. Both challenges signal a need to modernize and diversify extension delivery systems to competitive levels that comply with sustainable principles.

Extension Specialist Mr. Kannan
Kunamboo. He introduced OPIC's
're-organization' - a concept still
lacking functionality in Hoskins.

Recent expert advises on improving the links between service delivery and oil palm production suggest that re-organizing the projects’ structures would drive effective policies closer to the farmers. However, in some projects, limited financial and skill capacity in redesigning outdated extension messages and implementation methods to feed re-organizational structures became a setback. The traditional inter-personal extension worker to farmer method of communication is still in use but fast losing value due to growing resentment among grower populations levelled against OPIC.

Nonetheless, drawing up suitable action plans should not be an obstacle,since different strategies require suitable responses to different levels of information needs of farmers. They also require different levels of investment, with a return over varying timescales. Proving that “Financial Literacy Farmer Training” is effective can take many years, for example. Setting up new administrative information flow systems will also take time. Although innovation can bring breakthroughs, installing hi-tech communication facilities may not prove necessary if it only serves unrelated interests of a few without any emphasis or ‘know-how’ to use it to boost transmission and adoption of extension messages by farmers.

Yet there are actions we can take now, with existing knowledge and accessible tools.

Financial Literacy Skills: A Long-standing Constraint to Production and Livelihood

Looking for space and tucked just
between the palms is a secondary
household.

Amongst oil palm growers, falling per capita incomes and declining access to land for food gardening are emerging because of population pressure. Oil palm communities on the LSSs and in some villages near Hoskins, WNB, are experiencing severe population and land pressures that are compelling them to cultivate food gardens on environmentally sensitive land or on land over which they have insecure tenure.

Rapid population growth leading to declining per capita income from oil palm among smallholders is further undermining food security by reducing peoples' capacity to purchase store foods to compensate for reduced access to land for gardening.

Outcomes of socio-economic studies suggest maximizing food security by improving per capita income of which, diversifying income and better farm and household budgeting/savings skills play an important role.

Improving Financial Literacy amongst Smallholders

The 'One-Size-Fits-All' field days.

A more selective approach to extension is required, and one that emphasises solving long-standing constraints on production and food security. The “One size fits all” approach to extension is no longer suitable in the smallholder sector. Thus, using a strategy of targeting specific groups of farmers would ensure reaching those not attending field days such as women and youth.

An 'in-door' environment improves
learning; also encourages women to
attend.

SPSN’s (Strongim Pipol, Strongim Nesen) funding support in carrying out Integrated Sustainable Oil Palm (ISOP) Farmer Trainings on “Financial Literacy” and “Environmental Safeguards” is an appropriate example. In contrast to outdoor field days, ISOP Farmer Trainings concentrated on secluded environment conducive to enhanced delivery and adoption of extension messages. Women and youth attended by numbers never reached in open field days.

SPSN’s Role in Modernizing Extension Methods for Better Communication

SPSN funds were used to purchase a
projector hire gen-sets from growers;
hire venues; refreshments for
participants and if need and if
needed, hire logistics as well.

With over a thousand participant handbooks printed and distributed, ISOP Farmer Trainings took a step further in improving extension delivery modes and content to communicate with farmers with the use of more visual support tools such as power point presentations. Although effective media such as video could have been used, time and appropriate software were limiting. To improve the effectiveness of extension communication, these new technologies are to complement rather than replace existing extension methods (e.g. radio, broad casts and field days) and services.

SPSN’s continuous role in empowering smallholders through better extension education can see the elevation of current methods to utilizing digital technology. This form of communication proved effective and reliable in other parts of the developing world. Without neglecting people or partnerships, utilizing this technology can effectively overcome known barriers in communicating agricultural knowledge, changing youth behaviours as well as capitalizing on women’s central role for food security. 

ISOP Farmer Trainings focus on empowerment, which reflects and complements SPSN’s name and objective; is a suitable approach tailored to impact positive change as a key lever of sustainable development.

Participant farmers attained certificates. These certificates can be
used with other necessary documents by farmers to acquire
agriculture loans from banks and loan institutions. - at Mingae
Village, West New Britain.