Community Health and Agriculture Show in PNG

Tony Jansen of Kasdom Gaden and Melanesian Farmers First Network has just sent in this report from Fred and Angelin of the FHRIP/CBHC Program. Family Health Rural Improvement Program and Community Based Health Care are two groups that have come together to run a community health and agriculture program in Tari district, in the Southern Highlands of PNG. FHRIP is a local group and CBHC is a national NGO that is part of the Nazarene Health Ministry. The show was supported by the Melanesia Farmers First Network with funds from Oxfam Australia.

The Community Health and Agriculture show held on the 16th and 17th of September 2004 was a great success. More than 1000 people attended the show from five CBHC communities and two Support Stations involved in the FHRIP/CBHC Programs in two electorates, namely Komo/Margarima and Tari/Pori.

On the second day of the show more than 1500 people attended because we put more activities into the program, like bicycle races, tag of war for male and female teams and running races etc. That was possible because the Tari District administration put in some money for the Independence Day celebrations to the CBHC show committee.

Some of the big displays at the show were:

• Rabbit killing and how to do the skinning of the rabbit and frying its flesh
  
• Squash pumpkin and banana flour making
• Banana cakes making and pineapple drinks
• Roasting rabbits and sheep
• Selling of fish, kakaruks, pigs, different verities of fruits and vegetables
• Tree nursery seedlings, vegetable seeds and seed preserving method (six bucket system)
• Cultural artifacts
• Women Group’s sewing and knitting displays and selling

Pari Andawale community won the BEST PRODUCT Trophy and Hoeabia community won the BEST DISPLAY Trophy. Apart from their own sales individual farmers received prizes of tools and cash for bringing their good and healthy products to the show. Thirty–four farmers received prizes of tools and a K8.00 cash price and another 32 farmers were given K4.00 cash prizes. The money for the cash prices, K1000.00 in total, was given by the Lord Mayor. Communities said that they have made a total of K3,400 in cash from their sales. They said that it will be good if an organization like CBHC can host such a show each year, for them to come out from the places where they hide in fear of their own enemies and do their selling and get to know each other as farmers of different communities and network as partners in this program.

As a result of the show two men came in from Hulia District saying that they want to organize their clan now to join the Tikibi CBHC community and a group of 4 people from another community of Kikita came and consulted our office and opened their account in the community credit scheme and said they will organize their community soon to get involved in the CBHC program.

The show really opened everyone's eyes and in the near future every community in the Hela region will be involved in the FHRIP/CBHC Program.