By Doreen Philip
Copyright postcourier
The role of women in rural communities in Papua New Guinea cannot be under stated when it comes to local food production and livelihood for families.
In order to empower marginalized women farmers to engage as active participants in farm-related decision, assistance from an agriculture extension officer goes a long way in shaping impact and inspiring transformation at the grass roots level.
Where the Department of Agriculture and Livestock lack in terms of field capacity and expertise, partnership is key to achieve this.
“I felt more comfortable and heard when working with Salome on one of our projects. And I felt inspired to apply what I have learnt,” said a woman farmer from Markham.
Salome Zongesia comes from Lawes village on the south coast of Manus and has been working with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Morobe Province for over 41 years.
She is the only female agriculture extension officer at the DAL office in Markham district.
Her journey as a ‘didimeri’ started in 1978 after completing grade ten at Manus Provincial High School.
It was her uncle John Yowat, an agriculturist in Lorengau at that time who had persuaded Salome to venture into this social enterprise.
In 1979, three months of work practical at Manus DAL informed her decision to go to Rabaul for a training at Vudal Agricultural College now called the University of National Resources and Environment which concluded in 1981 with a certificate in tropical agriculture.
It was there in Rabaul that she met and married a Finschaffen man and that was how she ended up working in Morobe with her first job at 3 Mile in Lae with the Department of Primary Industry (DPI).
She was transferred to Situm, Nawae in I984 then back to Lae where she worked for what is now called the Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA).
Her passion and expertise have been in horticulture and spices.
Work took Salome and her three children and family to Mumeng and Wau rural local level government where nine years of their life was spent with people in communities.
After more than a decade of extension work, Salome decided it was time for a further training at Highlands Agriculture College in Mt Hagen. Shortly after obtaining her diploma in tropical agriculture, she was posted to Markham and has been there since.
“It’s rewarding at the end of the day when farmers and growers succeed and their families benefit, it’s all about transforming livelihoods. For me it’s a very special feeling when I meet a farmer on the road and that farmer has managed to pay for school fees for his children and has ventured into a small business, “she explained.
Salome has spent her life doing what she loves most and that is serving humanity by providing extension services on spice and vegetable farming through farmer trainings and field demonstrations.
