Fair Trade Farm Hands PNG

The First Virgin Coconut Oil Exports From PNG To Australia- Papua New Guinea elder statesman Sir Ebia Olewale is in Byron Bay to deliver the very first shipment of fair trade PNG organic virgin coconut oil to Santos Trading Pty Ltd. Sir Ebia, who helped his country to independence in 1975 and later became Deputy Prime Minister of PNG, has teamed up with the not for profit organization Fair Trade Farm Hands to assist farmers in PNG to develop sustainable crops. While in Byron Bay, Sir Ebia will also meet with Northern Rivers coffee farmers and interested community groups to seek harvest work for his people under the federal governments new Pacific seasonal labour scheme (known as the Workforce from Abroad Employment Scheme or WAES). Sir Ebia says the scheme is about much more than trade. Our main aim is to encourage longer-term community-to-community linkages between Australia and the Pacific he says. We are extremely grateful to the Australian Government with the recent announcement to allow workers from the Pacific Islands to provide much needed labour to Australias horticultural sector during your harvest season. Our farmers need help and the opportunity to earn an income by providing labour to Australian farmers will have a huge impact on their lives. It will provide them funds for their childrens education and important health services that is simply out of their reach financially. Fair Trade Farm Hands will also assist participating workers to use some of the earnings to further develop their farms, fund organic certification of their produce and set up export opportunities. Tree-To-Cup is a growing global market and we need to help PNG farmers gain access to it. Since the beginning of time we have always been organic, we cannot afford expensive fertilizers and therefore our farmlands and water ways are totally free of any chemical additives. I am also hoping there will be community engagement with our visiting workers. While here they would love to present their traditional costume, music and dance and will be happy to participate in any event for the publics enjoyment. We are also seeking assistance with accommodation, transport, and catering for the group while they are here. Any interested individual or organizations that would like to participate in an exciting, cultural and social exchange with our nearest Pacific neighbour should contact our local coordinator Simon Hodge on 0414 664384 The hand over by Sir Ebia of the first shipment of virgin coconut oil (VCO) from PNG to occur 3 pm 03.12.08 at Santos Trading 7 Brigantine St Byron Industrial Estate. Background on Sir Ebia Olewale and Fair Trade Farm Hands Sir Ebia has been a tireless worker in supporting local subsistence farmers in PNG to develop and market their organic produce (coffee, coconut, cocoa) and to gain access to markets in Australia, PNGs nearest neighbour. Sir Ebia is a Director of the PNG Sustainable Development Program, chaired by the federal governments climate change adviser Professor Ross Garnaut . The program supports development projects to benefit the people of Papua New Guinea and has a particular focus on the Western Province around the Ok Tedi mine. Fair Trade Farm Hands is a not for profit organization which aims to facilitate and coordinate provision of contract labour services of Papua New Guineans to Australian horticulturists. We believe that individual indigenous participation should be undertaken as a single cohesive culturally identified community group led by a recognised village elder or leader. The group or groups will have a specific commitment and ownership of an identifiable home based community project (i.e. coffee, coconut, cocoa cooperative) which will directly benefit financially from their participation in this program. visit - http://www.globalcoconut.com/fair-trade/