Captions: 1. Travellers enjoying fresh coconuts from the Markham Valley. 2. Mothers selling organically-grown taro and pitpit at Rabaul market.
By JOSEPHINE YAGA
The PNG organic agriculture sector is relatively new, unorganised and underdeveloped to meet certain requirements of international and domestic organic markets.
Unless PNG takes organic farming seriously, the country will continue to miss out on the opportunity to market organically-grown products when its agricultural production systems are primarily organic by default.
Regional organic task force member John Yogiyo highlighted this during a meeting on organic farming strategic plan, which was held at the Alan Quartermain Multi-purpose Hall at Bubia outside Lae recently.
The objective of the meeting was to pave way for the establishment of a PNG organic farming association and the certification process.
The meeting, facilitated by NARI, attracted representatives from the regional organic task force, New Guinea Fruit Company, Fresh Produce Development Agency, Mainland Holdings coffee division, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Agriculture Department of the PNG University of Technology, Aiyura National High School and farmers.
“Although PNG has several industry organisations involved in the development of the organic sector, a formal organic entity with acceptable certification standards and processes needed to be in place”, Mr Yogiyo said.
He added that PNG as the biggest island nation had more resources than other neighbouring pacific island countries - where many individuals, co-operatives, farms and other groups would benefit from a local organic certification establishment.
He said the development of the organic agriculture sector provided PNG with opportunities to address problems in food security, unemployment and environment degradation.
NARI principal economist Dr Keshav Kshirsagar outlined the advantages of organic farming and provided the overview of global trends in term of organic farming, organic wild collection, certification processes, marketing of organic products and per capita consumption of organic products in various developed countries.
Mainland Holdings Coffee Division Manager Allyosha Reilly commented that most PNG farmers farm organically but the biggest stumbling block is the certification process as it is very long and awkward where it required three years of screening and verification process before the final certificate is awarded.
He said his organisation approached NAASA (an Australian certifying body) about certification but the process was bulky with some of the criteria not applicable to PNG.
Mr Yogiyo said the essence of the meeting was to come up with a PNG organic task force that would look at constrains and opportunities faced by farmers and stakeholders and to find alternate solutions that would prepare this country to be certified as a recognised organic producer.
He added that PNG was organic by default and urged that it was important the certificated process was organised after the meeting.
NARI director research Dr Sergie Bang provided a copy of a working document by FAO on organic farming initiatives in the Pacific region that had some missing data on organic production for PNG.
“I encourage you participants to provide the needed information if they are available with your respective organisations”, he said.
Commodity boards are also required to provide necessary information.
Dr Bang said although the Secretariat of the Pacific Community had provided K3, 500 to plan the development of organic farming, certification and marketing in PNG, more funding would be needed.
NARI will drive the process forward but will need support from the task force team, the private sector and others.
He recommended an immediate meeting in future to develop an action plan.
The meeting ended with the formation of an organic task force team whose main task will be to develop a strategic plan for the production, certification and marketing of organic produce from PNG.
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