Call for collectiveness to address climate change

By SENIORL ANZU

 

Climate change and its impacts on PNG should be addresses effectively and collectively, says a senior scientist with the National Agricultural Research Institute, Dr Akkinapally Ramakrishna.

He said the phenomenon of climate change was worldwide and everyone should get to know circumstances surrounding the issue and join our hands to respond to it.

Dr Ramakrishna said this in light of the coming ‘Agricultural Innovations Show’ NARI will stage next Tuesday at Bubia near Lae, which will focus on climate change, its impacts on agriculture and suggestions on how PNG can address it.

 The theme of the show is ‘Adapting PNG Agriculture to Climate Change’.

“The idea behind the show is to sensitise climate change and make everyone, including farmers, organisations, politicians, bureaucrats, policy makers, scientists, and the general public who have interest and wish to know the issue become aware of this fact”, Dr Ramakrishna said.

“Climate change is going to affect the rural and vulnerable communities and they need to know the issue and work around it collectively.

 “PNG needs to think seriously and have a plan in place.”

Dr Ramakrishna said in order to increase raising the awareness, NARI had invited sister institutions and organisations from the public and private sectors to come together during the show for this noble cause.

He said during the agricultural innovations show, NARI would exhibit and show awareness materials on climate change relating to agriculture and research initiatives currently undertaken by the institute to address some aspects of the climate change problem.

From some 60-plus organisations invited, 70-80% of them have responded favorably and Dr Ramakrishna said more request were flowing in.

He said this would be another big occasion for information sharing and knowledge sharing.

Those confirmed to participate include the Coffee Industry Corporation, Fresh Produce Development Agency, National Agriculture Development Plan, New Britain Palm Oil Limited, Ramu Agri-Industries, PNG University of Technology, Project Support Services and many more.