Cadets recruited under DAL PCU support project
29 Jul 2025
Four agriculture graduates from the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) are now playing a vital role in supporting cocoa development under the PNG Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification Project (PACD) in six provinces in the country.
Samuel Ako, Alex Kerowai, Caspar Waninara, and Molle Kapia — all Bachelor graduates in Sustainable Tropical Agriculture from UNRE’s Rabaul campus — have been engaged as cadet agriculture officers under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) since April 2024.
The cadets have contributed significantly to the implementation of the PACD Cocoa Project by supporting household profiling, management information systems (MIS), monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and working alongside 18 project partners in six targeted provinces. Their involvement ensures consistent data gathering and program tracking — critical elements in driving effective agricultural interventions.
Additionally, the cadets are supporting other departmental initiatives, including the DAL NGI learning policy and local agricultural programs, gaining hands-on experience that complement their academic training.
Acting Regional Director for the Provincial and Industry Support Services in the New Guinea Islands Region, Ms. Bisbil Garalom, acknowledged the importance of the cadet program in strengthening the regional office’s capacity and fieldwork delivery. One of the cadets, Caspar Waninara from East New Britain, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I appreciate the PACD Project for recruiting us. We are learning so many things beyond our profession as agriculturalists, especially in M&E and MIS. It has been a great experience for building our capacity and applying the knowledge and skills we gained from university.”
With the two years cadetship nearing its end, the contributions of these young officers are already making an impact not only in boosting cocoa production and supporting farmers but also in building the next generation of skilled agricultural professional in Papua New Guinea.
Samuel Ako, Alex Kerowai, Caspar Waninara, and Molle Kapia — all Bachelor graduates in Sustainable Tropical Agriculture from UNRE’s Rabaul campus — have been engaged as cadet agriculture officers under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) since April 2024.
The cadets have contributed significantly to the implementation of the PACD Cocoa Project by supporting household profiling, management information systems (MIS), monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and working alongside 18 project partners in six targeted provinces. Their involvement ensures consistent data gathering and program tracking — critical elements in driving effective agricultural interventions.
Additionally, the cadets are supporting other departmental initiatives, including the DAL NGI learning policy and local agricultural programs, gaining hands-on experience that complement their academic training.
Acting Regional Director for the Provincial and Industry Support Services in the New Guinea Islands Region, Ms. Bisbil Garalom, acknowledged the importance of the cadet program in strengthening the regional office’s capacity and fieldwork delivery. One of the cadets, Caspar Waninara from East New Britain, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I appreciate the PACD Project for recruiting us. We are learning so many things beyond our profession as agriculturalists, especially in M&E and MIS. It has been a great experience for building our capacity and applying the knowledge and skills we gained from university.”
With the two years cadetship nearing its end, the contributions of these young officers are already making an impact not only in boosting cocoa production and supporting farmers but also in building the next generation of skilled agricultural professional in Papua New Guinea.
