Seeds of change: How veteran agriculturist is turning farmers into entrepreneurs in Rigo

The sound of drums and chatter filled the usually quiet village of Karekodobu as farmers from across the area gathered beneath bright canvas tents.

Their produce, neatly arranged piles of cocoa, taro, cassava, and fresh vegetables, glistened under the morning sun. This was no ordinary market day. It was history in the making.

For the first time, the village hosted a Mini Agriculture Show, a homegrown initiative designed not only to celebrate Papua New Guinea’s upcoming 50th Independence Anniversary, but to spark a new era of farming in the Rigo district.

Behind the scenes, one man had been quietly sowing the seeds for this moment. Goru Babona, a veteran agriculturalist and policy analyst with 35 years’ experience in the Department of Agriculture, decided it was time to bring his expertise home.

“After all these years, I asked myself what legacy will I leave for my village?” Babona recalled, standing among the stalls he had personally funded. “With climate change and the government’s push for commercialization, I knew we needed a platform to inspire our people to think beyond subsistence farming.”

The answer was the Karekodobu Iadaga Association. ‘Iadaga’ meaning gardener in the local language, a cooperative uniting farmers across clan lines. The association’s goal is to mobilize people as a team, tap into grants, bring in new farming technologies, and train villagers to adapt to climate-smart agriculture.

It wasn’t an easy sell. In a culture where clans often work in isolation, Babona knew convincing the community would take more than words.

“If I just did it with my family, people would say, ‘That’s his family’s thing.’ But as a group, it becomes everyone’s movement,” he said.

On the day of the show on Tuesday, 12th August, the impact was visible. Government dignitaries, including officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, stepped onto Karekodobu soil for the first time. Farmers proudly displayed their harvests and exchanged ideas with visiting experts.

“Seeing is believing,” Babona said with a smile.

“When my people saw leaders here, they knew change was possible. Now they trust that if we could pull this off, we can take the next steps together.”

A vegetable farmer Grace Mairi hailed the show, stating it would help them sell their produce and earn some income.

Mairi said the event was the first of its kind, bringing together nearby villages.

Wanema Egora, a cocoa farmer told NBC Online that such agricultural shows would attract investors to tap into their local produce, which could help them go into commercial farming.

Egora acknowledged Babona for the initiative and hopes to continue in the future.

Meanwhile, Babona, founder of the Mini Agriculture Show, said those steps are ambitious, moving from subsistence to commercial farming, gradually but steadily, with a clear vision towards PNG’s 2050 goal of becoming a healthy, prosperous, and wealthy nation.

Babona believes that with training, teamwork, and persistence, Karekodobu’s farmers can become not just producers, but entrepreneurs in Central.

As the afternoon sun dipped low and the last visitors left, Babona looked around at the emptying soccer field [where the event was held], the tents, the fuel, the logistics, all covered from his own pocket. He didn’t see an expense; he saw an investment.

“I’ve planted the seed,” he said. “Now it’s time to grow together.”

According to the committee, the show is expected to be bigger and colorful starting next year with tourism coming into play.