President of Malaita Youth Council Urged Youths to Invest in Agriculture Amid Rising Cocoa Prices

President of the Malaita Youth Council, Philip Subu, has urged young people across Malaita Province to engage more actively in agricultural activities as a means to stay productive and avoid antisocial behavior that could negatively impact their future.
His appeal comes in response to the recent surge in cocoa prices, which has provided substantial economic support to rural farmers across Malaita and other parts of the Solomon Islands.

“I’ve been in Auki over the past few days and witnessed several young people who came to town to sell their dried cocoa beans. The amount of money they earned was far beyond my expectations,” Mr. Subu stated.

He added, “This week, I observed the Alisuri Livelihood Association from West Baelelea in North Malaita — a group primarily made up of youths — visit the Malaita Youth Hub after selling their dried cocoa beans. They earned $76,000.00 this week alone, which is incredibly encouraging for a rural community.”

Mr. Subu also made a heartfelt call to idle youths in urban areas, encouraging them to return to their villages and invest in sustainable agriculture, such as cocoa farming and the cultivation of root crops. He emphasized that these efforts would benefit them in the long run.
He also extended his appreciation to the youths of the Alisuri Livelihood Association for their leadership in cocoa farming and other agricultural ventures, which have really improved their community’s standard of living.

Colton Albert, Chairman of the Alisuri Livelihood Association, told Malaita Issues, “Our group was established around 2020 and has gradually developed through agricultural activities, particularly cocoa rehabilitation, tree planting, and more.”

Justice Maehasia, a youth from Central Kwara'ae, also shared his personal story with Malaita Issues. “I was wandering around Honiara when I received a phone call about the success of the youths in my village. That inspired me to return home earlier this year,” he said.

“Since returning, I cleaned up my cocoa farm, planted more trees, and now harvest cocoa every two weeks. I usually earn over $2,000 from each harvest,” he added. His most recent sale, on Tuesday of this week, earned him $3,018.

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