While it may not be noticeable, there are changes in the neglected agriculture sector of Papua New Guinea. These small changes in traditional practices - the mindset of farmers,and the priority of leaders will see the local agriculture sector stand out as the true backbone of the country writes GABRIEL LAHOC.

“OLD habits die hard”.

This is one idiomatic statement that seriously has to be challenged by both the seasoned subsistence farmers and modern commercial farmers in Papua New Guinea’s all important agriculture sector.

Old habits die hard, it may true, but in the country with its struggling agriculture sector which is currently fighting just to be favoured by the state against the extractive mining sector, the new bold writing on the wall is: “Some old habits must die”.

Different organisations and personalities at different capacities are embracing change as part of development and are now changing the mindset, outlook and practices associated with agriculture in Papua New Guinea.

New farming technology and practices currently promoted in the country will have to be accepted by local farmers - who like other ordinary Papua New Guineans – are not used to easily give up their old traditional practices and cultures, even in this modern space age.
This is the new message covering practical skills and technologies which are currently being delivered jointly by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) and the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM-ROC), especially to the local farming communities around districts who have arrangements with the two organisations.

The partnership of TTM-ROC and DAL which started twenty years ago, now sees a team leader and a handful of technical staff develop the local farming communities with technical knowledge to advance with increased production and income which will in turn improve the people’s livelihood.

The TTM based inside the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) headquarter in Lae, views the nation’s agriculture system as self sufficient with true potential to export and engage in agri-businesses with the outside word.

TTM-ROC’s all important funding from Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) has over the years enabled agriculture specialists to be deployed in selected countries to educate and spread the new farming skills and technologies, including crop specialist Felix Song, who is currently attached in Morobe province.

Out of the organisation’s three major programs, local farmers engage under the Rice Extension program are being taught against popular earlier advice from ‘foreign paper farmers’ that PNG is unsuitable for commercial rice farming and production.

The other important projects are Unused Land Design and Utilisation, which is currently targeting potential agriculture lands which are unused, while the last project named Business of Smallholder Farmers promotes the commercial aspect of farming.

With local farmers as the same targeted population, DAL Mamose regional office staff in Lae has working relationship with Song and his colleagues by slowly but surely changing the mindset of the local farmers.

The recent World Food Day and Annual Field Day last month hosted by the two partners outside of Lae at the Erap Resource and Development Center, saw privileged farmers from Lae Urban district, Huon Gulf and Nawaeb learn new skills and tips from Song by going from plot to plot, demonstrating from crop to crop.

It was like a huge open air classroom, with Song urging the participating farmers to importantly pay attention to temperature, rainfall and soil conditions and other contributing natural agents – practices which are now not normally being calculated and considered in detail.
It was also interesting to note the surprise looks and silly grins on faces of the student farmers who were practically taught – among other things – to plant a minimum of one good corn seed instead of five to ten in one shallow hole, separate corns roughly a meter apart to see smooth natural process of pollination assisted by the blowing breeze, cut off selected vines of watermelons and pumpkins at certain lengths to see bigger sized crop on harvest, cover top soil with kunai grass to stop weed growth as well as cooling the soil and not to burn weeds but to use them as compost.

These are some of the foreign practices proven to be effective and are now being embraced by DAL-TTM to promote food security, which basically means to promote quality farming instead of quantity farming. DAL regional crop’s advisor John Jave on that day called for increase funding into the districts, increased quality food production and more committed partnership between the private and public sector.

Jave pointed out that Papua New Guinea despite being rich naturally with food, has what he termed as ‘hidden hunger’ which is lack of nutrients in the people’s everyday diet. Put it simply, Papua New Guineans generally are not short on food, but seriously needs to improve on eating healthier food. Officer in charge of Erap station which is the nation’s agriculture nerve centre, Ario Movis, encouraged commercial farming, which said must importantly have its own market and economy.

Another new practice as part of these new approach is to do concentrated cultivation or production of crops and livestock only in suitable different areas. For instance, area X with different climate or soil composition can be excellent for growing crop A but will not be ideal for crop B.

Such programs have already been carried out in different districts and will result in different areas specialising in high production of a particular crop or animal on a larger scale than other areas. But the scale of success and production currently has to be improved with local support from the government and politicians, who will also have to change from normal practice. One outstanding partnership with DAL is with Bulolo district in Morobe province, a district which is now in the spotlight of foreign miners and developers because of its rich mineral reserves underground, with exploration of new sites going on apart from production at its first major mine at Hidden Valley.

Bulolo Joint District Planning and Budget Priority Committee under the chairmanship of Bulolo MP Sam Basil is aware of the importance of agriculture sector and has committed the district’s agriculture sector to be developed. A K300’000 funding this year is being used by DAL to train farmers.

The above scenarios illustrate the movement to improve agriculture with a truly different approach by different personalities at different levels of society with new and different skills and knowledge disseminated and acquired along the way.

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