40 graduate as coffee extension trainers at Aiyura Institute

Forty participants graduated yesterday with certificates from the Coffee Extension Training of Trainers [TOT] program at the Coffee Research Institute in Aiyura, Eastern Highlands Province.

Among the graduates were three third-year female Advanced Diploma students from Sonoma Adventist College, along with representatives from partner agencies under Component 3.1 of the Papua New Guinea Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification [CIC PACD] Project across Western Highlands, Jiwaka, Simbu, and Eastern Highlands provinces.

Former Director of the Coffee Research Institute, David Freyne, facilitated the workshop. The Coffee Component of the PNG Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification Project [CIC PACD] funded the training.

The program aimed to equip farmers within cooperatives with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to grow quality coffee and increase their income.

Mr. Freyne, who has conducted five previous TOT sessions, said the one-week course covered key topics such as the role of extension officers, coffee species and varieties, nursery management, site selection, land preparation, field planting and establishment, management of young and mature coffee, rehabilitation, marketing, certification, and garden assessments.

"We also held practical sessions on land preparation, managing young and mature coffee trees, and producing high-quality beans using pulper machines," Mr. Freyne added.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Nawan Laneho thanked the facilitators and organisers for the valuable experience.

"This training will help us move forward and reach new heights in our coffee work and business instead of remaining stagnant," he said.

Grower cooperative representatives also committed to sharing the knowledge with others along the supply chain, ensuring everyone contributes to producing and delivering quality coffee to mills and exporters.