PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 3:01 PM by Tevita

Call for adapting to climate change in PNG

From : Didinet

Papua New Guinea requires a multi-pronged strategy to adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts on agriculture and food security in the country. NARI Director-General Dr Raghunath Ghodake says PNG must look after its own interests against the backup of global uncertainty and financial recession now that the world is going through global climate change along with food shortages and the worldwide economic crisis.

Speaking at the 19th National Agriculture Council meeting in Madang on March 24, 2009, Dr Ghodake said the phenomenon of climate change is a definite process and is a fact of life with a complex manifestation in terms of its impacts on agriculture and food security and PNG has to prepare and adopt a multidimensional strategy.

“The country requires a multi-pronged strategy in the areas of agricultural research for development, policy and resource support, and strategic and effective implementation.”

He therefore called on the public sector and donor agencies to participate and help support the development and implementation of medium to long term efforts in this area.

In his joint paper with Dr John Bailey on ‘Challenges of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security and Strategies to Reduce Impacts in Papua New Guinea’, Dr Ghodake said PNG, situated on the western rim of the tropical pacific, is already suffering from the effects of rising sea levels, which have eroded land and contaminated water supplies, to the extent that some small island communities have already had to evacuate. He said the country is also vulnerable to extremes in rainfall intensities linked to La Nina Southern Oscillation events.

“The most widespread food shortage in PNG has resulted from drought conditions brought on by El Nino events; the event of 1997 triggering the worst drought in living memory. Scientific evidence suggests that this event in the strongest on a series of ever strengthening El Ninos that are now recurring every 10-15 years with another major event being likely around 2012.”

He said warmer and moister conditions, which climate models predict for the humid tropics, are likely to increase threats to food and cash crop production posed by pests and diseases. Already there appears to be an intensification of pest and disease problems in PNG, including those caused by late blight on potato and leaf scab on sweet potato, said Dr Ghodake.

“Warmer temperatures are also causing increased incidences of malaria in the PNG highlands”.

Dr Ghodake also highlighted that in response to the threat of climate change, a series of projects are being jointly implemented and/or developed by various Australian and PNG institutions and NARI. He said the strategy associated with the projects has five main parts which tackle different aspects of the climate change problem in PNG. They include early warning system, crop and genotype diversification, biotechnology targeting of pests and disease, dissemination and adaptation of drought-coping strategies, and sustainable water supply.

Dr Ghodake said PNG must take the initiative and urgently address the imminent impacts of climate change on the nation’s food and water security, and in particular the need to put in place sustainable water supply facilities for vulnerable rural communities. He also stressed that PNG must make a strategic investment by accepting and implementing agriculture as a development agenda for the well-being of the people and prosperity of the nation.



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DIVA-GIS	Wednesday, April 15, 2009 Posted 3:01 PM by Tevita Call for adapting to climate change in PNG From : Didinet Papua New Guinea requires a multi-pronged strategy to adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts on agriculture and food security in the country. NARI Director-General Dr Raghunath Ghodake says PNG must look after its own interests against the backup of global uncertainty and financial recession now that the world is going through global climate change along with food shortages and the worldwide economic crisis. Speaking at the 19th National Agriculture Council meeting in Madang on March 24, 2009, Dr Ghodake said the phenomenon of climate change is a definite process and is a fact of life with a complex manifestation in terms of its impacts on agriculture and food security and PNG has to prepare and adopt a multidimensional strategy. “The country requires a multi-pronged strategy in the areas of agricultural research for development, policy and resource support, and strategic and effective implementation.” He therefore called on the public sector and donor agencies to participate and help support the development and implementation of medium to long term efforts in this area. In his joint paper with Dr John Bailey on ‘Challenges of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security and Strategies to Reduce Impacts in Papua New Guinea’, Dr Ghodake said PNG, situated on the western rim of the tropical pacific, is already suffering from the effects of rising sea levels, which have eroded land and contaminated water supplies, to the extent that some small island communities have already had to evacuate. He said the country is also vulnerable to extremes in rainfall intensities linked to La Nina Southern Oscillation events. “The most widespread food shortage in PNG has resulted from drought conditions brought on by El Nino events; the event of 1997 triggering the worst drought in living memory. Scientific evidence suggests that this event in the strongest on a series of ever strengthening El Ninos that are now recurring every 10-15 years with another major event being likely around 2012.” He said warmer and moister conditions, which climate models predict for the humid tropics, are likely to increase threats to food and cash crop production posed by pests and diseases. Already there appears to be an intensification of pest and disease problems in PNG, including those caused by late blight on potato and leaf scab on sweet potato, said Dr Ghodake. “Warmer temperatures are also causing increased incidences of malaria in the PNG highlands”. Dr Ghodake also highlighted that in response to the threat of climate change, a series of projects are being jointly implemented and/or developed by various Australian and PNG institutions and NARI. He said the strategy associated with the projects has five main parts which tackle different aspects of the climate change problem in PNG. They include early warning system, crop and genotype diversification, biotechnology targeting of pests and disease, dissemination and adaptation of drought-coping strategies, and sustainable water supply. Dr Ghodake said PNG must take the initiative and urgently address the imminent impacts of climate change on the nation’s food and water security, and in particular the need to put in place sustainable water supply facilities for vulnerable rural communities. He also stressed that PNG must make a strategic investment by accepting and implementing agriculture as a development agenda for the well-being of the people and prosperity of the nation. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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