Vanuatu Agriculture Department partners with NTM Teouma Bible College

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and NTM Teouma Bible College in Vanuatu have signed an agreement, which will encourage students to be actively engaged in the agriculture sector.

The ceremony on Tuesday also saw DARD handing a rotavator to the college.

Director Antoine Ravo said,”DARD has a draft plan in place that will involve schools and churches and organizations that are well organised, well-structured and have a good governance system in place and these are some of our selection criteria under this plan for our beneficiaries"

"The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) is rolling out activities of rotavators under the 70/30 Agriculture Investment initiative programme which also part of this plan".

"This is an opportunity where we want to empower youth in agriculture through engaging church members to ensure sufficient food supply and in sustaining a healthy church spiritually and physically.

"One of the programme priority under the drafted National Agriculture Development plan 2021- 2023 is the "Agriculture School Food Package Agreement" which we are here today to witness with the bible college," Mr Ravo said.

DARD Officers will regularly visit the NTM Teouma Bible College agriculture farm to monitor the outcome of production through the use of the 2-wheel rotavator.

"Agriculture School Food Package programme will assist competent schools and colleges to address NCD issue in terms of producing healthy food for the students and also to change the student's mindset so they can become viable agriculture investor as successful business entrepreneurs for our country," Mr Ravo added.

The Principal of NTM Teouma Bible College, Carshena Herena said,” This achievement will take the young people to another level of farming.”

The bible college has 21 students and 10 teachers.

Photo supplied Caption: DARD Director Antoine Ravo (centre) signs the agreement

     

Author: 
Tensly Sumbe