According to news published in today’s Island Sun newspaper, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has secured a 37.5 hectare of land at Tenaru for the establishment of a National Agriculture Project known as the “Tenaru Field Experimental Station”.
The new land bought from the Catholic Church will replace the former Republic of China (Taiwan) farm that the National Hosting Authority (NHA) has taken charge of and are planning to build a new SIFF academy for the football community in the country.
On Monday, the Tenaru Land sub-committee on behalf of the National Hosting Authority (NHA) and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) presented a Chupu (traditional food gift) to the community and owners of the Tenaru land.
Present at the occasion were; the Catholic Church representatives, Malango House of Chief Representatives and Tenaru community members Representatives for the Guadalcanal Province and Senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Government through MAL previously used to lease the land but abandoned it at the height of the ethnic crisis in the year 2000.
The Chair of NHA and Permanent Secretary of MAL signed an MOU in February that established the understanding between the two authorities for MAL to surrender the MAL farm to NHA and for NHA to support MAL’s relocation to the Catholic Church owned plot at Tenaru.
Other crops from the farm will be relocated to another National Agricultural Field Experimental Station at Garanga on Santa Isabel.
The government through MAL and the Church will sign a MOU after a survey of the land is completed in the next two weeks.
This ceremony will put everyone on the same understanding for NHA and MAL to commence work immediately and for the community to welcome the government workers on the Tenaru Field experimental site for the government.
Sources: NHA Communications Unit and Solomon Times Online
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
