The importance of coffee on the livelihood of rural Papua New Guineans has resulted in new growth areas being recognized. These areas have been under the watchful eyes of the CIC and especially involve lower lying coastal areas. Farmers have only recently shown interest in growing coffee in these areas and hence have been duly supported by CIC.

The lowland farmers are now accepting coffee as an alternate cash crop to other traditional crops such as cocoa, coconut, vanilla and others. Farmers in East New Britain, New Ireland, Morobe and Sepik provinces are very keen to plant coffee.

However, in the highlands region, the demand to grow coffee in the Southern Highlands is huge. The interest for coffee in these regions indicates that their production may overtake some traditional coffee planting provinces. Accordingly the provincial administrations of these provinces have made commitments through finance and logistics to develop coffee as a cash crop.

The CIC is making progress to meet these demands through providing advisory services, planting materials and conducting trainings to those that are interested. The training on aspects of coffee husbandary and processing are tailored through the Participatory Rural Appraisal Planning (PRAP) process. The farmer training and extension branch of the CIC facilitates this activity through the Coffee Grower Support Services Program.