Speaking during its opening the garden's initiator, Mr Francis Wehi said the custom garden initiative aims to help grass roots people in the constituency to "sustain themselves by farming a variety of food crops."

Mr Wehi said a variety of food crops will help the Makira constituents find alternatives to the country's staple diet, rice, which is becoming more expensive with the current rise in the country's food prices.

He said since grass roots people would be more adversely affected by any rise in food prices, his association wanted to ensure that other options were available to the rural people to access food other than the country's staple diet.

The custom garden launch had the backing of locals who attended, many of whom expressed optimism about the project's future and called on their provincial government to back the initiative.