BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Minister for Agriculture and Livestock and his Permanent Secretary (PS) will travel to Buala on Friday this week.

Minister Franklyn Wasi and PS Dr Samson Viulu are going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Isabel provincial government on Monday.

Minister Wasi said that the main objective of the MOU is to facilitate the use of the Gozoruru Property by MAL for the Establishment of Facilities and Development of Land for Agriculture Developments.

“The MOU made between the (MAL) and Isabel Provincial Government (IPG) for the use of any unallocated and suitable available lands within the Gozoruru property referenced to as L.R. 174; L.R. 176 and L.R. 177 for Agriculture Development Initiatives,’’ Wasi told this paper.

He said that the MoU was already signed by former PS Jimi Saelea and former Premier James Habu.

“This MOU supersedes the previous MOUs signed respectively by the Departments of Research and Extension Services with IPG,’’ he said.

He said that IPG would provide 373 hectares of Land within the Gozoruru Property for the MAL development initiatives on rent-free.

He said that in partnership with IPG, MAL will establish, manage and control the livestock and research development initiatives and associated facilities whose beneficiaries will be the Farmers and people of Isabel Province and the country at large.

“MAL in partnership with IPG will facilitate to establishing an initial 100 hectares of Integrated Commercial Rice Development at Gozoruru and expand to 400 hectares either within the Gozoruru property or other IPG properties,’’ Wasi said in an interview.

He said that the annual operating profit- sharing formula will be 70% for MAL and 30% percent for IPG once the developments attract income.

He said that MAL intends to implement its National Programmes in Horticulture Research for Development, Livestock Development and Integrated Commercial Rice Development in the Gozoruru property. 

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