North Guadalcanal explores development beyond CDF, focusing on farming, savings, and economic self-reliance initiatives.
North Guadalcanal is exploring new development approaches aimed at reducing long-term dependence on the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), as local leaders push for greater focus on savings, agriculture, and community-based economic activity.
The constituency has a long history of agricultural production, with households engaged in crops such as cocoa, coconut, rice and subsistence farming across its rural communities.
“We are working beyond the Constituency Development Fund,” said Constituency Development Officer Simon Ngoli.
Ngoli said the constituency is preparing for a scenario in which CDF allocations may change in the future.
“If we depend on the CDF, one day something might change and it might not exist, or a future government might decide to do away with it,” he said. “What else can we sustain our people and constituency on?”
In response, constituency leaders say they are developing initiatives intended to support longer-term income generation and reduce reliance on direct financial assistance.
North Guadalcanal Member of Parliament Dr Paulson Popora Bosawai said a key focus is changing community attitudes toward public funding.
“We cannot rely on these constituency funds for the rest of our lives,” Dr Bosawai said. “We have to do something for ourselves and stand on our own feet.”
He said the constituency includes 96 villages and that efforts are underway to encourage household savings through a proposed financial facility.
Dr Bosawai said the idea is for residents to set aside part of their income for savings while retaining the remainder for daily needs.
He said he has observed a reduction in requests for direct financial assistance since the start of road construction projects in 2024 and the distribution of agricultural machinery to communities.
“We must work for money and earn money,” he said. “These are the kinds of things meant to reset the minds of my people and help them see beyond CDF.”
North Guadalcanal’s alluvial plains support a range of agricultural activity, which remains a key part of the local economy. The constituency is also home to major agricultural investment, including palm oil production that contributes to national exports.
The Constituency Development Funds Act 2023 CDF Act 2023 introduced updated governance and oversight measures for constituency funding, including reporting requirements, procurement rules and auditing provisions.
The legislation also establishes constituency development committees and sets out procedures intended to improve accountability in project implementation.
Ngoli said public understanding of CDF remains important as the constituency considers new development approaches.
“It is time we change our mindset from relying on the CDF and do what is best for us by using our land,” he said.
Among the initiatives under consideration is a proposed credit union model intended to encourage savings and improve financial literacy, according to constituency officials.
Dr Bosawai said he used constituency figures to illustrate potential long-term outcomes of investment in productive assets.
He said the constituency has 7,128 registered voters. Based on those figures, he said $5 million in funding would amount to about $1,000 per person if distributed evenly.
“For example, $5 million divided by 7,128 voters in a not-good economic constituency works out to about $1,000 per person per year,” he said. “That $1,000 is roughly equivalent to four bags of sweet potatoes sold at the market in a year.”
As part of its development programme, the constituency has allocated funding for 12 tractors, 13 trucks and 12 “green economic zones” across 96 villages, according to constituency records.
Dr Bosawai said he believes the assets could improve agricultural output, although independent assessments of the programme’s impact were not immediately available.
Pastor James Ngeala, who chairs one of the zones, said the “green economic zone” structure has improved coordination between communities and constituency offices.
“It is a new thing we have tested,” he said. “People are really happy about it.”
He said each zone operates through committees that report back to constituency administrators.
The Constituency Development Fund was introduced to support development initiatives at constituency level and address local needs across Solomon Islands.
Its origins trace back to the Solomon Islands Communities and Provincial Special Assistance Fund SICOPSA established in 1989. Although short-lived, it evolved into what is now the CDF system.
Over time, CDF has become a significant component of public development spending, supporting infrastructure, community projects and income-generating activities across constituencies.
For Dr Bosawai, the long-term goal is increased local economic self-reliance.
“That is where my line of thinking is,” he said. “Building economic resilience through farming is what I really want my people to do.”
“I am not saying this because I do not do it myself. I want my people to do the same.”
