ExxonMobil PNG Limited has extended its partnership with Australian National University Enterprise (ANUE) for three years to continue its Community Livelihood Improvement Project (CLIP) in Upstream PNG LNG project areas.
The CLIP program involves capacity building of households to improve food security status, earn income, and to embark on start-up enterprises.
Through the three-year partnership, ANUE and ExxonMobil PNG are aiming to generate sustainable economic benefits to the communities in the project areas, which will cover over 900 rural households and community-based organisations.
Since 2015, EMPNG has invested over K8 million on CLIP to support capacity building for 20 community groups living in and around the Hides, Komo and Angore areas.
This enabled over 400 households to undergo a rigorous set of ‘learning by doing’ activities in the field ranging from; food and agriculture production, poultry husbandry, value-add farming techniques, product improvement and marketing, life skills, entrepreneurship development, and exposure to leadership and governance principles.
One of the program’s success stories is the direct purchase of fresh produce from the local communities by local company Hides Alliance Group (HAG), which provides catering services for the Hides Gas Conditioning Plant (HGCP). HAG has purchased over 30 tonnes of surplus fresh produce from community groups since the inception of the CLIP program.
“Our long term partnership will now enable us to improve and build upon what we initiated in 2015 so that more households in the communities can benefit from CLIP,” said Andrew Barry, ExxonMobil PNG managing director.
“We want these projects to be sustainable and measurable so that communities benefit for the long term.”
Over PGK820 million has been invested by ExxonMobil PNG in community and infrastructure programs focused on education, health, women’s empowerment, agriculture and environment.