Bougainville woman drives organic agriculture
23 Dec 2025
A Bougainville woman’s vision is reshaping the region’s agricultural landscape, empowering hundreds of women farmers and driving the growth of downstream processing. DJ Organics, founded in 2018 by entrepreneur and farmer Delvine Ketsian, has grown from a small home-based operation into one of Bougainville’s most promising community-driven agribusinesses.
Ketsian, originally from Sivuna village in North Nasioi, built her company on childhood experiences in cocoa farming. She recalls walking kilometres with her parents to sell cocoa beans memories that have inspired her lifelong commitment to agriculture.
“Cocoa is not new to me,” she says. “It’s a story over my product. I walked two to three kilometres to sell cocoa beans when I was young, and I’ve carried that story with me into DJ Organics.”
Today, DJ Organics has established a network of more than 1,000 farmers, 80 percent of whom are women. Many continue to face economic challenges in the aftermath of the Bougainville crisis. Ketsian has made it her mission to support their recovery by creating income opportunities and rebuilding local value chains.
“After the crisis, women struggled to find work and support their families. Empowering them is very important to me,” she explains. The company engages farmers in cocoa, coconut, and spice production. It also runs training programs funded entirely by DJ Organics teaching farmers how to process virgin coconut oil and other products. Farmers are then supported with market access, with the company purchasing their goods or helping them find buyers.
DJ Organics began with just two products, cocoa and turmeric, but has since expanded into a full line that includes virgin coconut oil, spices, and cocoa-based items, all sold under the DJ Organics brand.
Currently operating from a tight space in Arawa, the company plans a major upgrade through a PACD-supported matching grant project. The initiative includes constructing a new storage and processing shed, which will house machines, host training sessions, and centralize production activities.
The total project budget is K410,976, with DJ Garden Lodge Cooperative contributing 20 percent of the funds. “Packaging is one of the biggest challenges in PNG,” Ketsian says. “With support, we can improve our packaging, expand production, and have a proper space for our chocolate lab.”
The new facility will include essential machinery sourced from China and refrigeration equipment for storing chocolate products. Ketsian also recently secured land title to 88 hectares of cocoa plantation, which she plans to transform into a solar-powered processing hub to bring production closer to the source and create more jobs for rural communities.
“One thing I believe in is sharing ideas,” she says. “Opportunities open doors, and with them, you see blessings.” While DJ Organics is awaiting certification from the Bougainville Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (BACRA) to enter export markets, local demand is soaring. The company supplies seven retail outlets in Arawa and three in Buka, where products sell out rapidly.
“One good thing about Bougainville is business is booming,” she says. “Local businesspeople support us. They give space to SMEs like ours — and products don’t stay long on the shelves.” DJ Organics operates under the DJ Garden Lodge Cooperative, a registered agricultural enterprise offering extension services, cocoa fermentation, drying, and market linkages. The current PACD subproject supports four Producer Organizations representing 250 smallholder farmers mostly women aged 25 to 55 from Sivuna, Karikira, Mamung, and Tokiai.
Farmers are expected to benefit from improved pricing, better quality standards, increased technical skills, and wider market opportunities.
With rising demand, a strong farmer network, and a clear vision for expansion, DJ Organics is positioning itself as a leading player in Bougainville’s growing agricultural industry. What began with a young girl's walk to sell cocoa beans has become a movement transforming communities and empowering women across the region.
Ketsian, originally from Sivuna village in North Nasioi, built her company on childhood experiences in cocoa farming. She recalls walking kilometres with her parents to sell cocoa beans memories that have inspired her lifelong commitment to agriculture.
“Cocoa is not new to me,” she says. “It’s a story over my product. I walked two to three kilometres to sell cocoa beans when I was young, and I’ve carried that story with me into DJ Organics.”
Today, DJ Organics has established a network of more than 1,000 farmers, 80 percent of whom are women. Many continue to face economic challenges in the aftermath of the Bougainville crisis. Ketsian has made it her mission to support their recovery by creating income opportunities and rebuilding local value chains.
“After the crisis, women struggled to find work and support their families. Empowering them is very important to me,” she explains. The company engages farmers in cocoa, coconut, and spice production. It also runs training programs funded entirely by DJ Organics teaching farmers how to process virgin coconut oil and other products. Farmers are then supported with market access, with the company purchasing their goods or helping them find buyers.
DJ Organics began with just two products, cocoa and turmeric, but has since expanded into a full line that includes virgin coconut oil, spices, and cocoa-based items, all sold under the DJ Organics brand.
Currently operating from a tight space in Arawa, the company plans a major upgrade through a PACD-supported matching grant project. The initiative includes constructing a new storage and processing shed, which will house machines, host training sessions, and centralize production activities.
The total project budget is K410,976, with DJ Garden Lodge Cooperative contributing 20 percent of the funds. “Packaging is one of the biggest challenges in PNG,” Ketsian says. “With support, we can improve our packaging, expand production, and have a proper space for our chocolate lab.”
The new facility will include essential machinery sourced from China and refrigeration equipment for storing chocolate products. Ketsian also recently secured land title to 88 hectares of cocoa plantation, which she plans to transform into a solar-powered processing hub to bring production closer to the source and create more jobs for rural communities.
“One thing I believe in is sharing ideas,” she says. “Opportunities open doors, and with them, you see blessings.” While DJ Organics is awaiting certification from the Bougainville Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (BACRA) to enter export markets, local demand is soaring. The company supplies seven retail outlets in Arawa and three in Buka, where products sell out rapidly.
“One good thing about Bougainville is business is booming,” she says. “Local businesspeople support us. They give space to SMEs like ours — and products don’t stay long on the shelves.” DJ Organics operates under the DJ Garden Lodge Cooperative, a registered agricultural enterprise offering extension services, cocoa fermentation, drying, and market linkages. The current PACD subproject supports four Producer Organizations representing 250 smallholder farmers mostly women aged 25 to 55 from Sivuna, Karikira, Mamung, and Tokiai.
Farmers are expected to benefit from improved pricing, better quality standards, increased technical skills, and wider market opportunities.
With rising demand, a strong farmer network, and a clear vision for expansion, DJ Organics is positioning itself as a leading player in Bougainville’s growing agricultural industry. What began with a young girl's walk to sell cocoa beans has become a movement transforming communities and empowering women across the region.
