Wait Tri & Middle Fly Trustees visit the WestAgro Fly Vanilla project site # 2 at Samagos, North Fly District, Western Province
Vanilla Grow out Tunnel Construction Begins
Site Construction Manager, Shauli Elimelech is now a resident at Samagos and has completed the excavation of all foundations for the six grow-out tunnels to be constructed at site 2.
Additionally, tunnel framework fabrication has also begun with all structures expected to be erected next month.
The WestAgro Holdings and Fly Vanilla Boards have approved six new shareholders, all documentation for the transfer of shares has been completed, and ‘Share Certificates’ have since been authorised by the WAH Chair for release to the respective entities.
Registration with the IPA is in progress and a handover ceremony will coincide with the November CMCA Development Trust meetings. Further financial support for Fly Vanilla, especially from the Middle and South Fly Trusts is expected at these meetings.
Following on from the exciting news reported in August that vanilla vines at Samagos and Tepabit (km17) trial site had produced their first flowers, more flowers have since emerged. Many of these have been successfully pollinated with vines now growing the first vanilla beans for the project.
The layout for site 1 has also been completed, incorporating a 100 vine demonstration plot marked out for the planting of shade trees, this plot will replicate a smallholder farmer plot. The site will also include a vanilla bean buying and farmer technical training facility.
Rice Project Plot Preparation Underway
On-site groundworks have started at Kaviananga, Village, Middle Fly. Project Manager Barak Bernstein has made multiple site visits, while OTDF technical support staff member, Veao Nami is now permanently onsite coordinating the start-up works with the community. The first 12 families from the Kaviananga community have been engaged to clear the water channel to the site, peg out initial trial crop planting sites, and dig site boundary drainage channels for both upland and lowland (padi) rice, including two varying transects and germination plots.
There has been some delay with the delivery of the capital equipment and fertilizer, these items are now expected into Obo by late November.