The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), through the World Bank-funded Solomon Islands Agriculture Rural Transformation (SIART) Project, is equipping 43 young professionals with practical experience in the agricultural sector.
The Young Professionals programme is part of SIART’s initiative to strengthen the country’s agricultural sector by fostering a new generation of trained agricultural workers while enhancing the capacity of MAL offices to support farmers. The recruited professionals serve as junior extension officers, assisting Agribusiness Producer Organisations (ABPOs) and linking with MAL offices in Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Makira/Ulawa Provinces.
ABPOs are farmer and agribusiness groups that work collectively to access markets, financing, and support services, aiming to increase production and improve sales. SIART Program Manager William Okekini said the young professionals have already made a significant impact.
“These graduates are significantly boosting the capacity of provincial MAL offices to support ABPO development, business plan implementation, recordkeeping, and grant monitoring. They are also helping build a new generation of trained agricultural workers for the Ministry and the country as a whole,” Mr. Okekini said.
Before deployment, young professionals receive extensive training covering cocoa agronomy, farm management, pest and disease management, post-harvest processing, recordkeeping, financial management, and marketing.
Veronika Alawai, based in northern Malaita, supports three ABPOs involved in cocoa and coconut production. She said the programme has provided valuable skills in working with farmers, conducting trainings, and developing work plans.
“As an agriculture graduate, working with the project is very helpful as further down my career I will be able to utilise the abilities and qualities that I have developed from working as a young professional,” she said.
Ruth Maeabulo, working with four ABPOs in West Kwaio, Malaita Province, said the project has already helped communities earn additional income and improve infrastructure. “For me personally, working as a young professional is about developing my career as an agriculture officer while supporting my communities,” she said.
The SIART Project aims to increase agricultural production and improve market access in selected value chains in Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Makira/Ulawa. Beyond immediate training and exposure, the programme provides long-term opportunities for full-time employment with the Ministry of Agriculture, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector in the Solomon Islands.
