More than 80 smallholder cocoa farmers in Pomio District, East New Britain province, have received essential Financial Literacy Retail Training as part of a community development initiative aimed at strengthening economic resilience and sustainable farming practices.
The week-long programme, which ran from 21st to 26th June 2025, was delivered at the Pomio Local Level Government (LLG) Chamber of Commerce.
The training was part of a collaborative effort between the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the GEF-7 FOLUR Project. The initiative supports integrated land use planning across New Britain Island and seeks to improve both environmental sustainability and local livelihoods.
The training was a direct follow-up to a Training Needs Analysis conducted in February 2025. That analysis helped identify the learning gaps in the local communities and enabled the development of tailored materials suited to the educational needs of rural farmers.
The training targeted communities from MarMar, Sali, Pomio, Galuwe, Olaipun 1, and Olaipun 2. Participants were divided into three batches over the course of the week. A total of 83 individuals were trained including 34 women, with each batch attending seven core sessions. These sessions covered topics such as budgeting, saving, investing in farming, tracking cash flow, and accessing financial services.
The objective of the programme was to empower farmers to take control of their finances by reflecting on their spending habits, creating family and farm savings plans, and practizing basic record-keeping. Participants also explored how savings could be reinvested into their farms and how to identify appropriate financial services and loan opportunities.
The training laid a solid foundation for more sustainable financial decision-making and farming practices promoting inclusive economic participation across the Pomio District.
The training has been welcomed as an important step forward in equipping rural farmers with practical skills to improve their livelihoods and contribute to long-term community development.
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Caption: Images showing small holder cocoa farmers part taking in the Financial Literacy Retail Training.
