World Bank representative Bernard Harborne commends SIART progress supporting cocoa and poultry farmers across Guadalcanal.
Thursday 27 August, Honiara – Three Agribusiness Producer Organizations (ABPOs) in Guadalcanal Province on Friday 21 August 2026 hosted World Bank Resident Representative for Solomon Islands, Bernard Harborne, on a visit to their communities, where he engaged with local farmers and hear about the progress of their funded projects and the positive impacts on rural life.
These are ABPOs supported under the Solomon Islands Agriculture Rural Transformation (SIART) Project, a World Bank funded initiative implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL).
They include the Taubebe Cocoa Farmers Association in Tasiboko, north east Guadalcanal, Momolu Cocoa Farmers Association in north Guadalcanal and the Gold Ridge Women Farmers’ Poultry project.
SIART has signed agreements with a total of 96 ABPOs, 32 in Guadalcanal Province, 45 in Malaita Province, and 19 in Makira/Ulawa Province.
Mr. Harborne was accompanied by SIART Project Manager, Mr. William Okekini, Project Adviser Mark Johnston, Linda Manele from the World Bank Honiara country, other SIART staff as well as Young Professionals serving in the respective parts of Guadalcanal Province.
During discussions with local farmers, Mr. Solomon Tobana, Chairman of the Taubebe Cocoa Association welcomed the visit and expressed appreciation for the World Bank’s sustained support through the SIART Project that will boost agricultural production for organized groups of local farmers who are members of the ABPOs.
Mr. Tobana said their ABPO at Taubebe community is starting to feel the impacts through profits earned from their revolving fund.
“We have started to build the ABPO’s office building to support farmers more effectively,” he said.
Farmers who are members of the ABPO and non-members are selling cocoa wet beans to the ABPO easing the access to properly build two cocoa fermentary and drier facility. Their third drier will be completed soon.
The Momolu Cocoa Farmers Association also revealed similar positive impacts to their members through training, rehabilitation of their cocoa plantations, farmers increased production and the ABPO being the main buyer of their cocoa wet beans and dried cocoa beans, easing the hardship of travelling when selling their produce in Honiara.
The Gold Ridge Women Farmers’ Poultry project also expressed their appreciation for SIART Project for improve their poultry housing and to increase the number of broiler birds per building to 500 birds at one time. The first group of women will receive 300 broiler birds on Thursday 27th August 2026. After six weeks, they expect to sell their birds at $150.00 – $200.00 per bird to neighbors and the Gold Ridge Mining Company.
Providing a project overview, SIART Project Manager, Mr. Okekini, highlighted key initiatives supported by the World Bank through SIART in the respective communities and ABPOs through signed agreements.
These includes revolving funds ABPOs use to operate their agribusiness, the rehabilitation of plantations, construction of facilities and capacity building trainings. Mr. Okekini also underscored ongoing efforts to ensure ABPOs are fully operational and sustainable going forward after the SIART Project comes to an end.
The SIART Project Manager lauded the visit as a strong demonstration of partnership and conveyed the Ministry of Agriculture’s appreciation to the World Bank for its continued support.
Mr. Okekini reaffirmed the Project Team’s commitment to providing the necessary support to ensure the successful completion and implementation of ongoing infrastructure development for ABPOs and for the Solomon Islands agriculture sector.
Following discussions with the local farmers, the World Bank Resident Representative Mr. Harborne toured key infrastructure funded through the SIART Project in the three communities including cocoa processing facilities and poultry house.
Mr. Harborne described the visits as highly valuable and noted that the positive impacts the project is having on the local farmers in the three communities in Guadalcanal Province.
“By supporting these local farmers through their respective ABPOs, the project contributes to the development of the country’s agricultural sector, driven by the partnership between the Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and the World Bank.
Mr. Harborne acknowledges the Government of Solomon Islands through the responsible ministry and reaffirmed the World Bank’s strong commitment to the future of the country’s agriculture sector and its dedication to being a reliable partner to Solomon Islands.
SIART Media Release
