The National Hosting Authority supported Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock with its arrangement to develop a Field Experimental Station (FES) at the 37.5-hectare Catholic mission site at Tenaru by providing funding support for the relocation of the FES from former ROC farm.
The basis for NHA support is, MAL had provided, the opportunity for NHA to build PG2023 Football Training Fields /SIFF Academy Legacy on its land, in order for NHA through Games Facility Committee, to build the National Stadium Of Solomon Islands to host opening ceremony, Football, Rugby and athletics at the 2023 Pacific Games form 19th November to 2nd December later this year.
NHA on the 3rd of May 2023, witnessed the official signing of agreements between the Catholic Archdiocese in Honiara, Settlers who farm the land and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock paving the way for MAL contractors to get to the site to commence site preparatory works at the Catholic Mission property (land description LR83/2).
At the ceremony, Mr. Christian Nieng, the Executive Director of the NHA Secretariat, thanked both the Catholic Mission and settlers for paving the way for the FES to be built at the site because the establishment of the FES achieves two objectives of the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA), firstly delivery of agricultural research and services for the country; secondly enabling NHA to deliver the Sol2023 Pacific Games.
The settlers also play pivotal role by their understanding to allow their crops and properties to be reasonably compensated by MAL with the support of NHA to ensure MAL FES is progressed.
The Executive Director took the opportunity to encourage the settlers who are mostly small-scale farmers to listen out for the announcement by the PG2023 Games Organizing Committee. They will announce names of successful companies who bid to provide catering services to feed athletes at the Games Village and the Main dining area. The caterers will be the ones buying food that meets their requirements to feed the games athletes, volunteers and team officials at the 2023 Pacific Games.
NHA and MID were providing critical technical support to MAL right to the end of 2022 but NHA had withdrawn its technical support as of January 2023 to focus on having all the sports facilities completed for the PG2023.
NHA therefore thanks MID for continuing on the support to MAL and wishes MAL success with their plans on establishing the Agricultural Field Experimental Station at Tenaru.
-SOL2023 Press