Manus gears up to celebrate 2009 World Food Day

Ecom High School students have fun taking care of sheep and goat recently donated by National Department of Agriculture and Livestock. The livestock will be one of Ecom’s main attractions during World Food Day celebrations

School principal James Pokasui (second from left) his deputy Kupe Kuyei (third from left) provincial agriculture advisor Ben Bulungol (second from right) and students in the poultry facility

By SOLDIER BURUKA of Department of Agriculture and Livestock

Friday week, Oct 16, is World Food Day.
And in Papua New Guinea, preparations are underway in most provinces for government agencies, provincial administrations, non-government organisations, agricultural companies, farmer groups, farmers and the public to celebrate the international event with a wide range of activities.
The 2009 World Food Day theme is ‘Achieving Food Security in Times of Crisis’.
It is important that every man, woman, boy and girl must have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs to live an active and healthy life in times of crisis.
Everyone needs to be reminded that at a time when the global economic crisis is dominating everyday lives, we must think about the small-scale farms and rural communities where the majority of the world’s hungry live and work.
PNG, therefore, has a commitment to increase public awareness and understanding of the problems of hunger and poverty.
It is important that all stakeholders work together to make sure hunger is recognised as a critical problem, and solve it.
The 2009 official WFD will be celebrated in the Manus Province over three days, starting next Thursday, Oct 15, which is World Hunger Day.
A number of high-profile figures have been invited to attend and observe the celebrations in the island province.
The programme commences on Thursday with two field visits, one to Kawaliap primary school in the Tetidu LLG area in inland Manus, and the other field trip is to Ahus Island and Liap primary school on the south coast of the province.
The objective is to give the visitors an insight into the food security programme being initiated in the primary schools and the impact of global warming and its effects on food security.
Ahus Island was recently struck by king tides, which devastated some parts of the island and the community is now considering relocating to the mainland.
In the evening, there will be a seminar at the Ecom High School mess where key papers on food security and other issues relating to the WFD theme will be presented by selected speakers.
It is expected that representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Department of Education, National Agriculture Research Institute, Manus provincial administration and Ecom High School will present papers.
National Broadcasting Commision’s Radio Manus will provide live broadcast of the seminar.
On Friday, Oct 16, the programme will commence in Lorengau town with the display of floats from a number of schools and the provincial administration.
The floats will move around the town and head to Ecom High School, which will be the venue for the celebrations.
Other activities including official welcome speeches and keynote addresses will be presented, followed by the launching of the Ecom High School self-sufficiency project, smallholder rice extension model and NARI/Ecom high school agriculture research co-operation.
Meanwhile, stalls and other displays will be set up by individual farmers, schools, government agencies and other groups to commemorate the WFD.
It is expected that the displays will comprise of local subsistence food crops, cash crops, marine products, livestock, cooking demonstrations, agricultural information publications, agricultural services and others.
A Miss World Food Day Manus segment has been included which should draw a big crowd.
The Ecom High School agriculture self-help project will be showcased during the WFD celebrations.
This concept has been widely supported and many believe should be adopted by other schools throughout the country.
The school students will be proudly displaying a number of agricultural projects that they have initiated including piggery, poultry, sheep and goat farming, sweet potato and taro production and others.
Manus provincial administration through its agriculture division will be highlighting agricultural activities in the province including coconut rehabilitation and coconut biofuel project, cocoa, rubber, vanilla, marketing services, food crops production and others, which have been made possible with funding support under the National Agriculture Development Plan.
On Saturday, Oct 17, which is World Poverty Day, there will be a presentation by the Miss WFD Manus contestants.
This will be followed by debate and quiz on food security issues to be contested by school students.
Following the events, the WFD committee will award prizes to the various winners of all categories, including Miss WFD Manus.

Importance of World Food Day to Papua New Guinea and the world

This and all pictures of a wonderful roadside market in Tambul, Western Highlands province, which I travelled to two weeks ago. These self-reliant farmers are the true backbone of Papua New Guinea

World Food Day falls on Friday, October 16, 2009.
At a time when the global economic crisis dominates the news, the world needs to be reminded that not everyone works in offices and factories.
The crisis is stalking the small-scale farms and rural areas of the world, including Papua New Guinea, where 70% of the world's hungry live and work.
With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world, meaning that almost one-sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger.
Both public and private investments are needed, more specifically through targeted public investment to encourage and facilitate private investment, especially by farmers themselves.

Potato is best agricultural crop

Agriculture businessman and strong potato advocate Grame Ross (pictured), of Alele Farm Fresh Produce, says potato has the best returns in agriculture with an 86% profit margin,  the industry is worth over K100 million and is a guaranteed source of food security.  
He was speaking during the recent opening of Fresh Produce Development Agency’s potato screen houses in Tambul, Western Highlands province.
 “The potato, according to experts, is the crop with the best return in Papua New Guinea.,” he said.
“We have a big need for quality seeds in PNG.
 “Many people in PNG are crying for quality seeds.
 “These new screen houses are a big step forward.
“Before 2003, we were importing a lot of seeds from Australia.
“Today, we are independent in seed production.
“Papua New Guinea can do it.
“We don’t have good distribution.
“You Tambul have good supply.
“There must be equal distribution in Papua New Guinea.
“The seed industry is a new one which can be worth up to K46m annually.
“There is an urgent need for training, especially in such areas as safety when using chemicals.
“Potato is a big deal.
“It is disease-free and nutritional.
“This will create family values in PNG.”
Eastern Highlands agricultural advisor John Sari said potato was the best bet for farmers in high-altitude areas of PNG.
“Tambul has the ideal climate or growing potatoes, being situated 2,000m above sea level, where coffee doesn’t grow well,” he said.
“There is now light at the end of the tunnel.
“Potato will one day beat coffee and cocoa.”

Papua New Guinea is not 'investor-friendly'

Papua New Guinea is not “investor-friendly” and continues to have significant barriers to the functioning of a free market, according to the reputable Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2008.

Last year, the BTI compared the performance of 125 countries aspiring to achieve full democracy and a market economy, and PNG fared very poorly in its report card, which is now freely available on the internet (http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/).

The BTI is a global ranking of transition processes in which the state of democracy and market economic systems as well as the quality of political management in 125 transformation and developing countries are evaluated.

The BTI is a joint project of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Centre for Applied Policy Research at Munich University in Germany.

“On paper, the institutional ‘hardware’ for a competitive market-based economy is mostly in place,” it said.

“Papua New Guinea has made some progress in restructuring its financial sector, including making the central bank more independent and establishing an independent commission on competition modeled on Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission.

“In practice, there are significant barriers to the functioning of a free market.

“High establishment costs, breakdowns in law and order, the high cost of banking, bureaucratic red tape and political corruption remain major barriers to market entry.

“Despite its public pronouncements, the country is not foreign investor-friendly.

“A maze of regulations and paperwork must be navigated before a foreign enterprise can start operations in Papua New Guinea.

“The Investment Promotions Authority (IPA), supposedly a ‘one stop’ centre for foreign businessmen, is often sarcastically referred to as the ‘Investment Prevention Authority’.

“The persistence of corrupt political leaders, combined with an incompetent and corrupt bureaucracy, often means that only businesses willing to pay ‘facilitation money’ can win a significant advantage over competitors.

“Commissions of inquiry have found numerous instances of public contracts being awarded to companies or individuals who have bribed officials.

“Large and well-established companies have a significant advantage over newcomers.

“In recent years, the trend is for major companies to buy their smaller competitors and create an even stronger market position.

“Among top businessmen, there is a lot of direct and indirect cross-ownership of businesses.

“Inadequate corporate governance is the norm rather than the exception.”

 

Things fall apart in Papua New Guinea since 1975

Papua New Guinea has declined in almost all indicators since 1975, according to the reputable Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2008.

Last year, the BTI compared the performance of 125 countries aspiring to achieve full democracy and a market economy, and PNG fared very poorly in its report card, which is now freely available on the internet (http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/).

The BTI is a global ranking of transition processes in which the state of democracy and market economic systems as well as the quality of political management in 125 transformation and developing countries are evaluated.

The BTI is a joint project of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Centre for Applied Policy Research at Munich University in Germany.

The BTI noted that throughout the period of review, PNG made some progress in its political and economic transformation toward a more liberal democracy and market based economy, however, all these may come undone by these “deeply-rooted problems”.

“Positive developments include continuity in government leadership, economic recovery, sound economic policies, stability in the exchange rate, an increase in reserves, peace on Bougainville and some elements of stability in political parties,” BTI says.

“The country faces some deeply-rooted problems, however, that may impede the transformation process.

“The level of socioeconomic development is low.

“Per capita income is now actually lower than it was at the time of independence.

“The rule of law is still weak, corruption persists at the highest levels and there are continuing tensions between tribal groups.

“Ethnic or regional bias, gender discrimination, gridlock in politics, a deepening gap in income equality, and polarisation between the political leadership and the general populace do not allow for a sufficient degree of consensus-building or for institutional efficiency in the democratic system.

“The level of difficulty in governing a country like Papua New Guinea cannot be underestimated.

“Politicians are self-serving, and almost every socioeconomic indicator has declined since independence in 1975.

“Poor governance, endemic corruption, the lack of infrastructure, a small and unstable economy, aid dependency, low levels of education, ethnic conflicts and economic recession have all taken their toll on the country.

“The situation has become so bad that in recent years the country has been reported to be on ‘the brink of collapse’ and has regularly been referred to as a ‘failed state’.”

The BTI said that for PNG’s strategic outlook, although the country had some measure of political stability and had achieved economic growth, these gains were fragile and could easily be reversed.

“All key institutions, such as the parliament, the political executive, the bureaucracy and the private sector, are weak,” it added.

“In the dimension of democratic transformation, five major issues remain: political stability, corruption, electoral campaign reform, gender issues, and law and order.

“These issues have been discussed again and again, and all past reform programmes have either faltered or failed miserably.

“While there is political consensus between the elite and civil society to deal with these five major issues, the mechanisms to implement reforms are either too weak or are hijacked by vested interests.

“On the social front, the government must seriously tackle the problems of HIV/AIDS and income inequality.

“The HIV/AIDS epidemic has the potential to follow the African pattern, where the most-productive segment of the population is being wiped out.

“In major coffee plantations in the highlands, many of the workers are HIV-positive.

“HIV/AIDS is the now the leading cause of death at Port Moresby General Hospital.”

 

Sunset on a plane ride between Goroka and Port Moresby

I took these stunning sunset pictures on an Air Niugini Dash 8 flight between Goroka and Port Moresby last Wednesday, September 30.

Papua New Guinea report: almost every indicator in decline

Last year, the reputable Bertelsmann Transformation Index compared the performance of 125 countries aspiring to achieve full democracy and a market economy.

Here's a summary of PNG's report card, which you can read for yourself by following this link.

Throughout the period of review, Papua New Guinea made some progress in its political and economic transformation toward a more liberal democracy and market based economy…

Positive developments include continuity in government leadership, economic recovery, sound economic policies, stability in the exchange rate, an increase in reserves, peace on Bougainville and some elements of stability in political parties.

The country faces some deeply rooted problems, however, that may impede the transformation process. The level of socioeconomic development is low. Per capita income is now actually lower than it was at the time of independence…

The rule of law is still weak, corruption persists at the highest levels and there are continuing tensions between tribal groups.

Ethnic or regional bias, gender discrimination, gridlock in politics, a deepening gap in income equality, and polarisation between the political leadership and the general populace do not allow for a sufficient degree of consensus-building or for institutional efficiency in the democratic system.

The level of difficulty in governing a country like Papua New Guinea cannot be underestimated. Politicians are self-serving, and almost every socioeconomic indicator has declined since independence in 1975.

Poor governance, endemic corruption, the lack of infrastructure, a small and unstable economy, aid dependency, low levels of education, ethnic conflicts and economic recession have all taken their toll on the country.

The situation has become so bad that in recent years the country has been reported to be on "the brink of collapse" and has regularly been referred to as a failed state.

Strategic outlook

Although the country has some measure of political stability and has achieved economic growth, these gains are fragile and could easily be reversed. All key institutions, such as the parliament, the political executive, the bureaucracy and the private sector, are weak.

In the dimension of democratic transformation, five major issues remain: political stability, corruption, electoral campaign reform, gender issues, and law and order. These issues have been discussed again and again, and all past reform programs have either faltered or failed miserably.

While there is political consensus between the elite and civil society to deal with these five major issues, the mechanisms to implement reforms are either too weak or are hijacked by vested interests.

On the social front, the government must seriously tackle the problems of HIV/AIDS and income inequality. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has the potential to follow the African pattern, where the most productive segment of the population is being wiped out. In major coffee plantations in the highlands, many of the workers are HIV positive. HIV/AIDS is the now the leading cause of death at Port Moresby General Hospital.