Nicole Isifu
AgBook and AgFutures
AgBook’s owner and Managing Director, Nicole Isifu is a committed young woman inspired to challenge existing farming practices and drive an increase in youth participation in the agriculture sector as entrepreneurs rather than labourers.
“Youth are so important to the future of Papua New Guinea,” says Isifu. “Farmers are aging, and youth are currently not interested. Yet, the nation imports so much of what can be produced ourselves and has the fastest growing agriculture market in the world at our doorstep.”
According to the last census, 54% of the population was under 25 years old. “We have a significant labour force. But no-one can expect youth to be interested in agriculture the way it works now.”
Isifu provides online training courses and tutorials, especially for rural women, including one on soap-making. Other online AgBook courses include ‘Basics of a Farming Business’ and ‘Farming for Profit’. They all aim to improve the profitability of farms and help people enjoy better lives.
Pacific Trade Invest NZ is supporting AgBook and AgFutures, an innovative agricultural extension project in East New Britain Province. The collaborative approach of AgBook aims to open new agriculture business opportunities by empowering rural farmers with new knowledge, while assisting industry to better engage with those farmers.
AgFutures empowers young Indigenous individuals with the skills, resources and opportunities to thrive in agribusiness, fostering innovation and sustainable growth in communities. It equips young agribusiness enthusiasts with essential tools, online training, and a platform to sell products.
Isifu is proud to be part of the effort to help local labourers make the best of their land and the opportunities available.
“Every farming family deserves the knowledge to transform their land from a subsistence garden to a profitable small business,” she says.
To discover all 49 SHE LEADS videos in the series, view them at pacifictradeinvest.com
