The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Solomon Islands, through its Disaster Ready Church (DRC) Project, has supported the Agriculture Department of Talakali Adventist High School (TAHS) in Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita Province, with Agricultural tools to strengthen practical learning and school farming activities.
Aim of the project was to help strengthen practical agricultural learning and provide students with opportunities to develop valuable farming skills beyond the classroom and provide livelihood income for the schools.
The agricultural tools provided to TAHS agriculture department include two wheelbarrows, one full green net, eight shovels, ten garden hoes, three rakes, one backpack sprayer, three watering cans, ten seedling trays, eight bush knives, one garden hose, and seeds of cabbage, beans and melon including few fertilisers.
These tools will support the establishment and maintenance of the school farm and strengthen practical learning within the Agriculture Department of the school.
Denver Newter as ADRA SI Project Coordinator for DRC Project, did the hand over of the agricultural tools to the School Principal and Head of the Agriculture Department on Thursday, 5 November 2026 at the School Campus.
The handover was witnessed by Agriculture Students, School Staff and Ms Susan Ratu, an Extension Officer from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) in Malaita Province, who was also presented training and technical support to the school’s Agriculture Department.
The training covered an introduction to vegetable farming and its benefits, soil preparation, planting techniques, and a practical demonstration on establishing a vegetable nursery. It also included seed selection, planting, watering, nursery maintenance, basic pest and disease management, as well as technical support and networking opportunities for the school.
Principal of Talakali Adventist High School (TAHS), Mr Rayer Sifoni, acknowledged ADRA Solomon Islands for its support towards strengthening the school’s Agriculture Department.
“I would like to thank ADRA Solomon Islands, through the DRC Project, for supporting our Agriculture Department here at the school. This support will greatly benefit our Agriculture Department, especially students taking Agriculture as an elective subject”
“We have been facing challenges to improve our school farm due to a lack of farming tools for our school farm. However, through this support, our Agriculture Department will be better equipped to conduct practical lessons for our elective students in agriculture and improve our school farm,” Mr Sifoni said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Extension Officer for Malaita Province, Ms Susan Ratu, who witnessed the handover and facilitated the training, encouraged the school to make good use of the agricultural tools to support students taking Agriculture as an elective subject.
“Please make good use of these tools to support our agriculture students and the school farm. These tools are not cheap or easy to obtain, and I would like to thank ADRA for providing this support to the school”
“MAL will also continue to support the school through technical advice and information. Students who need information or assistance with their School-Based Assessments (SBA) are welcome to visit our office, and we will be happy to assist you,” Ms Ratu said.
The TAHS Agriculture Teacher, Mr Clement Horiwaitako, also welcomed the support, saying the tools would help improve the school farm and provide students with more opportunities for practical agricultural learning.
“At the moment, we have a school farm, but we lack the necessary tools and proper green net to establish and manage our seedling nursery. This made it difficult for us to properly maintain and develop the school farm.
“With the support from ADRA, particularly the farming tools and green net including wheelbarrow, it’ll now equipped to improve our school farm and provide students with opportunities to undertake practical lessons on the farm rather than focusing mainly in the classroom,” Mr Horiwaitako said.
Meanwhile, the provision of agricultural tools was part of the DRC Project’s livelihood initiatives, which are being established to support SDA mission boarding schools and churches. The initiative aims to strengthen sustainability through livelihood training, nursery development, and income-generating activities.
Source: ADRA Press Release
