Rural Sustainable Development Program investment gives Hograno farmers a foundation for income, markets and livelihoods.
Copra and cocoa farmers in the Kolotubi and Kolomola Wards of the Hograno-Kia-Havulei (HKH) Constituency in Isabel Province now have a dedicated place to store and sell their produce, following the handover of a copra storage and buying centre to the Kaevanga Community Development Association (KCDA) on 7 October 2026.
The facility was funded under the 2025 Rural Sustainable Development Program (RSDP) and delivered in partnership with the Solomon Islands Government and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It will serve farmers in Kolotubi and Kolomola Wards of HKH Constituency.
The HKH Constituency received SBD$1.5 million under the second phase of the China-funded RSDP in 2025. The funds were facilitated by the Constituency Office under the leadership of Member of Parliament and former Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele.
The allocation was split equally between agriculture and fisheries. SBD$750,000 went to KCDA to establish the buying centre, provide working capital for farmers, construct and equip dryers, rehabilitate plantations, support livestock activities, and meet transportation and other programme logistics. The remaining half is directed to seaweed farming under the fisheries component in Havulei, Kia and Katova Wards, a project scheduled to launch soon.
“Hograno is the most agriculture-rich part of our Constituency, and its people are among the most hardworking in the province, from our farmers to our business-minded families. Community companies such as Varivao began right here,” Jeremiah Manele said in his keynote address as guest of honour at the ceremony.
He said, “it is in recognition of this history, strength and comparative advantage that I decided to allocate half of the second phase of the PRC RSDP funds to KCDA for agriculture-related activities. I look forward to attending the handover ceremonies for the seaweed activities once they are completed.”
Manele expressed his sincere gratitude to the PRC for its generous support, and to MRD for facilitating the RSDP in constituencies across the country.
“Our focus on agriculture and fisheries is in line with the policies of past and present governments to prioritise the productive sector. Agriculture will remain the backbone of our economy. I encourage all our farmers to keep working hard,” he added.
He thanked KCDA Chairman Dudley Longamei for his vision, leadership and commitment in pursuing the project, as well as the members, farmers and families who are part of the cooperative.
“I know it is not easy and there are challenges, but with dedication you have come this far. It is my intention to expand and replicate these activities in other parts of the Constituency where there is potential for agriculture development. I will be asking Chief Longamei and his team to reach out to other parts of the Constituency so that more communities can benefit.”
KCDA began buying copra in June 2026. Since then, it has bought about 580 bags of dried copra and 26 bags of dried cocoa beans from local farmers and sold them to markets in Honiara. The centre brings market access to farmers’ doorsteps, allowing them to sell copra and cocoa locally without arranging their own sales in Honiara.
KCDA Chairman and Chief Dudley Longamei said the results are already being felt in households.
“Behind every bag is the hard work of a farmer. Behind every sale is income reaching a family,” he said, noting that the income goes towards school fees, household needs and small businesses.
“KCDA is building a local agricultural value chain linking production, drying and processing, buying and marketing. This is how rural economic development begins: not simply by producing more, but by creating a reliable pathway for our farmers to turn their production into income.”
Chairman Longamei said the programme with the RSDP funding has supported the establishment of the KCDA copra and cocoa buying centre, copra and cocoa dryers, farming tools and inputs, plantation rehabilitation, nurseries and new planting, and kava, poultry and piggery activities. Families and farmers reached include:
• Coconut: 368 families, involving approximately 41,345 coconut plants
• Cocoa: 276 families, involving approximately 21,200 cocoa plants
• Kava: 539 families, involving approximately 18,512 kava plants
“This assistance represents far more than financial support for a project. It is an investment in our farmers, our communities and our shared future,” he said.
Chairman Longamei on behalf of the KCDA Board and Management and farmers express sincere gratitude to PRC for the financial support and assured PRC and the MRD of their commitment to good governance, financial management, transparency and accountability, and to ensuring that facilities, equipment and other assets are properly maintained, protected and put to productive use.
“Our responsibility now is not only to account for what has been entrusted to us, but also to protect it, build upon it and ensure that its benefits continue to reach our farmers and communities for years to come.”
He said KCDA’s priorities are to strengthen its commercial operations and governance, support essential infrastructure, expand access to finance and markets, and become financially sustainable and less dependent on external funding.
“The facilities we hand over today give us a foundation. The responsibility before us is to build upon it and take KCDA to the next level. Our ambition goes beyond producing raw commodities. We want our farmers and communities to participate in trade, marketing and creating greater value from what we produce,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Government, MRD Permanent Secretary John Misite’e congratulated KCDA and its members on the milestone and highlighted the importance of strong governance, socially cohesive communities and strong leadership.
He recognised the strategic foresight of MP Manele in bringing the investment to his people, and thanked the Constituency Office for its continued support to farmers.
PS Misite’e acknowledged the PRC’s sustained commitment to RSDP and to improving the lives of Solomon Islanders, as well as the trust placed in MRD to implement the program.
“This achievement demonstrates the partnership between our governments and the shared commitment to improving the socio-economic livelihoods of rural communities,” he said.
“Today’s handover is just the beginning of the journey we are taking together. I challenge you to take responsibility to ensure this facility benefits the local economy and the community.
“You are fortunate to have this facility, and fortunate to have a leadership that understands and responds to the needs of the community. Build on it. Take care of it. Nourish it. And grow it.”
Constituency Development Officer Apollos Manegere, speaking for the Constituency Office, also acknowledged the PRC’s support.
“It was PRC funding, through the Rural Sustainable Development Program, that made this project possible. For our people in the villages, that support matters, and we do not take it lightly.
“From today, this project is yours to look after. Maintain it, use it well, and make sure it continues to serve you, your family and your community, not only now, but for the years ahead,” Mr Manegere said.
During the program, Jeremiah Manele, Permanent Secretary John Misite’e and their team also visited KCDA member farmers and inspected the association’s cocoa and copra dryers, which were established with funding and support under the agriculture program.
The handover was attended by MRD Permanent Secretary John Misite’e and MRD staff; Member of Parliament for HKH Constituency Hon. Jeremiah Manele; ward provincial members; government representatives; chiefs, elders and community leaders; KCDA Board members; and farmers, women, youth and children.
MRD PRESS RELEASE
