LOCAL Malaita business Goshen Enterprise is partnering with Australia to help taro farmers increase production to meet growing demand for product in Honiara.
Australia’s support, in collaboration with Solomon Islands Government ministries, will help Goshen scale up operations creating more local jobs, supporting more farmers, and contributing to the development of the local agricultural sector.
Mrs Ruth Maukera, Director of Goshen Enterprises, highlighted the positive impact of Australia’s partnership.
“Australia’s assistance is going to help us significantly boost our processing capacity and meet growing market demand, allowing us to provide opportunities for local farmers and ensure we can sustainably increase production while maintaining high-quality standards.”
Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton, said Australia is committed to partnering with local businesses in the agribusiness sector, like Goshen Enterprises, to expand their businesses, create more jobs and improve livelihoods across Malaita.”
“This demonstrates once again why Australia is Solomon Islands’ nambawan economic partner – creating more than 27,300 jobs in Solomon Islands and for Solomon Islanders since 2021.”
Founded in 2017, Goshen Enterprises started as a retail and wholesale business before it moved into taro farming.
In recent years, they established a farm in Adeliua and built a packhouse with support from the Solomon Islands Government to scale up production.
Despite these positive developments, the packhouse remained inactive due to unmet essential infrastructure needs.
To address this the partnership will secure water and electricity for the packhouse, provide peeling and cutting machines, and personal protection equipment for Goshen’s workers.
In addition it will assist Goshen to expand its farmer supplier network to reach over 480 households whilst maintaining high quality standards with targeted training in crop management and post-harvest handling for farmers.
With a projected increase in demand for frozen taro products, Goshen aims to ramp up production to 70 tonnes of frozen taro annually.
The increase will help Goshen meet the needs of new Honiara-based customers while continuing to supply long-standing clients like Kilufi Hospital and Auki Correctional Services in Malaita.
Source: Australia High Commission, Solomon Islands
