Case study:
Monpi Sustainable Services, Papua New Guinea
MSS is a PNG local company that actively develops the capacity of farmers in PNG to increase yields, increase sustainability, develop and implement education programs and gain for farmers a broader market access.
The MSS projects include eight large commercial nurseries producing high yielding clones. In 2012 it hopes to produce over 400,000 clones. The clones ensure that farmers are planting trees that will return them a commercially viable yield.
MSS has ongoing training programs that aim to impact on producer yields, business skills, environmental awareness and quality issues. In the past two years it has already trained over 25,000 farmers.
MSS also has programs with high schools to ensure agricultural curriculum development. With 90% of grade 10 students not being able to pursue further education or employment, their main option is to return to the village and farm. We hope to ensure that students have the necessary skills to farm successfully when they leave school.
MSS has produced training videos in all aspects of cocoa production so that farmers who are illiterate can still access media to help them become better farmers. These videos have been highly successful in showing farmers better management practices at low cost.
MSS aims to certify farmers in 2012 to Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade. We hope this enables them to increase the marketability of the cocoa, enhance the cooperation of farmers between themselves and the wider community and to ensure that their practices are sustainable.