PROGRAM DETAILS

Products: Stockfeed, Pigs and Poultry
Program Phase: Pilot
Program Partners: MRL Capital

THE CHALLENGE

As part of the Lihir Destiny, a piggery and poultry farm was established on the island as a means to create a non-mine reliant economy. The cost of imported stockfeed has constrained the development and profitability for both pig and poultry production. An alternative approach would be to secure the ingredients needed to prepare similar stockfeed locally.

THE APPROACH

Obtaining key stockfeed ingredients like sweet potato (kau kau) from the local community will significantly reduce the farm’s production costs. To ensure the right stockfeed formulation is developed to achieve the desired animal health and weight results, plus financial return to the farm, B4D is piloting growing and formulating a sweet potato based stockfeed. To achieve this, B4D is:

• Organising key stockfeed production machinery (chipper and mill) and stockfeed pre-mix to be imported on to the island of Lihir.
• Sourcing locally grown sweet potatoes necessary for the stockfeed.
• Formulating the stockfeed to achieve nutrient requirements.
• Testing the stockfeed on both poultry and pigs over a 42-day period and reviewing the performance.
• Creating a demonstration for interested community members who would like to become a poultry farmers.

THE RESULTS

The trial is in current execution. Based on the results, it will be reviewed if it is feasible to produce stockfeed on Lihir, and what is required to enable a prosperous, vibrant, and sustainable Lihirian agribusiness owned by the people of Lihir with commercial and community development outcomes.