Japan Hands Over New Equipment to Melekeok State

Japan Hands Over New Equipment to Melekeok State

 
On February 7, 2019, Deputy Chief of Mission Takeshi Ogino from the Embassy of Japan formally handed over a new wood chipper and truck valued $59,416 to Melekeok State Government. The handover ceremony for “The Project for Dry Litter Piggery Technology Introduction in Melekeok State” was held at the state office in Ukaeb, Melekeok, and attended by Governor Henaro M. Polloi, Delegate Lentcer Basilius, Speaker Silverius Tellei from the state legislature, Mr. Paul Lake from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other related personnel.
 
With technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Melekeok State has been working to introduce the Dry Litter Piggery Technology, which is an affordable and efficient waste management system for small-scale piggery operations. In this system, pigs are housed in sloped pens with wood chips used as bedding material. The slope enables the wood chips and pig waste to be pushed into a composting pit, which allows a pen to be cleaned up without the use of water. Furthermore, the compost will be utilized at local farms and Ngardok Nature Reserve.
 
Now that the new wood chipper and truck have arrived, Melekeok State could start producing wood chips and providing them to piggeries. In addition, current wash-down piggeries will also benefit from the use of wood chips to keep pens clean and to create organic fertilizer.
 
At the ceremony, Deputy Chief of Mission Ogino expressed his hope that the implementation of this project would contribute to environmental protection and food security of Melekeok State. Governor Polloi thanked Japan’s assistance and Mr. Lake emphasized that the joint effort between Japan and the U.S. made this project possible.
 
The Government of Japan launched GGP in 1999, for the purpose of responding to various development needs engaged in grassroots activities in Palau. As of February 7, 2019, the Embassy has signed 76 grant contracts with schools and hospitals as well as state governments and non-profit organizations. Education, health care and environment are the primary fields prioritized by Japan for GGP in order to contribute to sustainable development of Palau. For further information about GGP, please contact 488-6455 or visit the Embassy of Japan website at https://www.palau.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html