Horticultural Greenhouse Advisor - Volunteer in Papua New Guinea

Closing Date: 31 October 2024

Category: Agriculture & Horticultural Sustainability

Change your scene and become a VSA Volunteer and share your experience, knowledge, and skills to transform the lives of many. Work with our partner organisation to create a fair future for all. 
 
VSA will organise and fund, flights, visas, insurance, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while on assignment. 

Please note VSA Volunteers must be a NZ citizen or permanent resident. 

Volunteering with VSA 
Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) is not your typical volunteering agency, we are committed to building sustainable communities across the Pacific. If you’re an experienced Horticultural Greenhouse Advisor, looking for an extraordinary overseas experience in the Pacific to build into your field of expertise – working collaboratively with the Eden Sanctuary then read on, as we have an exciting opportunity in store for you!
 
Our Partner Organisation - Eden Sanctuary
Eden Sanctuary operates a medium-scale integrated farm with diversified farming activities, including cocoa, coffee, coconuts, rice, and fresh vegetable production. The farm is located at Tobera Plantation in Ramale, near Kokopo, in East New Britain.

The owner of the farm trains and supports other small-scale farmers in the province and occasionally runs lessons at the agricultural school on his farm.

One of the key business objectives is to adopt greenhouse vegetable production to meet the increasing demand for affordable, quality vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums (bell peppers), cucumbers, and chillies.

Crop losses due to plant pests and diseases, combined with climate change-related challenges, are affecting the production of vegetables, necessitating the need to grow vegetables under controlled environments.

The Assignment
This assignment is a partnership assignment between VSA and Eden Sanctuary.

A VSA Volunteer is required to provide expertise and support in assisting Eden Sanctuary with establishing and operating a small-scale greenhouse for vegetable production. 

The VSA Volunteer will provide expertise in greenhouse establishment, management, crop production, pest and disease control, and sustainable practices to ensure high-quality and high-yield vegetable production.

The Volunteer
Are you someone who wants to make a difference, have a sense of adventure and like the challenge of being outside your comfort zone?  VSA Volunteers are technical experts who impart their skills and knowledge to the local community. You will need to be flexible, adaptable, resourceful, resilient with a passion for Aotearoa and the wider Pacific community.

We're looking for a volunteer with the following:

  • A tertiary qualification in Horticulture, Agronomy, or a related field.
  • At least 3 years of experience in greenhouse vegetable production.
  • Proven expertise in greenhouse establishment, crop production, pest and disease control, and sustainable farming practices.
  • Strong skills in training and capacity-building.
  • Excellent communication and report-writing abilities.
Desirable:
  • Previous work experience in any of the Pacific Island nations
The Country
Most people living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are Melanesian, but some are Micronesian or Polynesian. PNG has over 800 known languages although there are three official languages: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Numerous indigenous languages are still used by people from a society that ranges from traditional village-based life to modern urban living.

Underlying the Papua New Guinean culture is the wantok system. Wantok, or ‘one talk’, refers to the people who speak your language or your extended family/clan; a Papua New Guinean’s primary loyalty will be to their wantok.
  
The country is predominately Christian, with indigenous faith and spirituality still important to many locals.
  
The people of Papua New Guinea are famously warm and hospitable and the isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world.
  
Apply Now!

Apply for this amazing opportunity through our website. For more information on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.


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We are looking for a volunteer with:

  • Full time 4-month Volunteering opportunity in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea.
  • Flights, accommodation and living expenses funded by VSA.
  • Make a lasting difference across the Pacific.

VSA covers flights, accommodation, insurance and some expenses. A living allowance is also provided.