BOUGAINVILLE COCOA FARMERS STRIVE FOR THE MOON
Cocoa farmers across Bougainville are preparing their world-class beans for the third annual Bougainville Chocolate Festival.
At the Festival, beans from across the three regions will be processed into chocolate for judging by a panel of international chocolatiers.
2017 gold medalist Nathan Ambi from Wisai, South Bougainville, said he was aiming to repeat his top class performance this year.
“When I won gold last year, I felt on top of the moon, I was so proud”, Mr Ambi said.
This year, Mr Ambi has been working to share his winning formula with the Pahari Farmer’s Business Group.
“We’ve been working with the community to improve both the quality and the quantity of the beans. It needs the community to come together, to work together and to work hard.”
Since 2016, the Bougainville Chocolate Festival has been linking the best quality producing farmers with international cocoa buyers and chocolate makers.
An initiative of the Autonomous Bougainville Government with the support of the governments of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand, the Festival this year will also purchase chocolate making equipment so that farmers and family alike can see for the first time the chocolate making process from start to finish.
Festival co-chair and Secretary of the government’s Department of Economic Development, Steven Tsivele, said they wanted to increase international exposure to Bougainville’s resurgent production of fine quality cocoa, as well as support farmers to improve bean quality and yield through training.
“As a direct result of the Festival, Bougainville farmers have established direct relationships with overseas chocolate makers and are now selling their beans for award winning chocolate,” Mr Tsivele said.
“The Festival is also a fun program with music, films, entertainment and stalls from last year’s gold medallist displaying their chocolate.”
“We want to encourage ‘the next generation’ of cocoa farmers: young people and women.”
The Festival will be held over two days 21 – 22 September 2018, in Buka, the capital of Bougainville.
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