Preparing Papua New Guinea for drought and climate change

From MALUM NALU in Lae

Hundreds of people are expected to converge on the National Agricultural Research Institute at Bubia outside Lae tomorrow (Wednesday, May 5) for the annual Agricultural Innovations Show for 2010 to be staged at its Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre.
The programme starts at 8.30am and continues for the whole day.
This will be the fourth year of this ‘information exchange and knowledge sharing’ event in which partner and collaborating organisations in agricultural and rural development will display and exhibit their innovations and improved technologies and interact with farmers and the general public.
Over the past four years, NARI has been spearheading a campaign to prepare Papua New Guinea for recurring periods of prolonged drought linked to changes in the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
In recognition of the urgent need to prepare PNG for such a scenario, the theme of NARI’s innovation show this year is: “Preparing PNG for Drought and Climate Change”.
As an integral component of the event, NARI is also hosting a major stakeholder forum under the banner: “Preparing PNG for Drought”.
This aim of this forum is to raise awareness on drought nationally and to debate how best to prepare rural communities for drought conditions.
NARI has invited representatives from all the major international and national aid agencies and government institutions concerned with food and agriculture, environment and water security issues in PNG.
Guests will include Acting Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge, National Planning and Monitoring Secretary Joseph Lelang, John Malai from PNG Red Cross, Andrew Kalai from Salvation Army, Merilyn Gairo from Adventist Development and Research Agency, Dr Siddhartha Datta from World Health Organisation as well as NARI Director General Dr Raghunath Ghodake and scientists Dr Pikah Kohun, Dr John Bailey, Dr Akkinapally Ramakrishna and Dr Workneh Ayalew
Local NGOs, churches, community-based organisations and rural farming communities have also been invited to participate in this forum.