The Pacific Horticultural & Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus) and the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK) in PNG hosted an Environment and Climate Change Resilience workshop in Kokopo, East New Britain, PNG from 6th – 8th September 2023. The workshop was attended by more than forty (40) participants. Coconut, commonly known as the tree of life in the Pacific Region has multiple uses and the nuts contain high nutritional value.
It is a resilient crop that provides food and generates an income for 35% of PNG households. As a cash crop, this commodity continues to play a significant role in contributing to the country’s economy. In 2011, PNG was ranked the 8th coconut producing country in the world. Although a resilient crop that can withstand several hazards such as drought and salination due to sea-level rise, many coconuts currently found in plantations are senile and prone to severe weather events including cyclones and floods. Recently, the incursion of the coconut rhinoceros beetles severely affected coconut palms. With projected variations and extremes in rainfall and temperature patterns, this pest is likely to breed, thrive and spread affecting yield and potentially reducing food production and income for coconut dependent households.
PNG National Coordinator with APCP, Ms Lydia Nenai, provided information about historic climatic data and future projections that may potentially affect the agriculture (including coconut) sector. She also provided coconut growers and technical officers with skills and knowledge about the systems thinking approach and tools to assist them develop and implement adaptation measures relevant to their workplace. A field trip organised by PHAMA Plus was also undertaken to demonstrate how agroforestry and intercropping are relevant to couple food and financial security through diversification under changing climatic conditions.