Activities in Papua New Guinea

1. Scheme

Technical Cooperation

2. Counterpart Organization

Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL)

3. Project Duration

2011/12 ~ 2015/5

4. Introduction

Agriculture sector sustains the livelihood of approximately 80 % of the population in Papua New Guinea (hereinafter referred to as ''PNG"). Of this population, the majority are subsistence farmers cultivating traditional crops such as sweet potato, taro, yam and sago, while some are engaged in producing cash crops for export such as copra, coffee, cacao and oil palm.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the demand for imported food such as grains and meat due to increased population growth, urbanization and industrial development, and changing dietary patterns. In particular, there has been a gradual increase in consumption of rice, and it has become a staple food in urban areas and some rural areas. However, most of the rice requirement is imported. It is estimated that annual rice import stands at 200,000 tons per year valued at more than K400 million.

In response to the growing demand for rice consumption, the National Department for Agriculture and Livestock (NDAL) formulated the National Rice Policy for promoting rice production and set up the Rice Extension Unit in the Food Security Branch in cooperation with provincial governments. NDAL also requested JICA to assist in technical support for rice farming, thus the Project for Promotion of Smallholder Rice Production 2003-2008 (hereinafter referred to as "Phase 1 ") started, selecting East Sepik and Madang as pilot provinces.

One of the major outcomes from the Phase 1 is the development of an extension method, namely a ‘farmer to famer' method, by which model farmers trained under the project extend their technique to other farmers. It is expected that the combination of existing extension service by government ion institutions with the farmer to farmer method would effectively sustain the overall promotional activities of rice farming in PNG.

Taking over the experiences and lessons learnt from the Phase 1, the Phase 2 started in 2011 upon the request by the NDAL to JICA for its further guidance in rice farming. The Phase 2 aims at achieving the following three outcomes.

1. Improvement of rice extension services through model farmers by supplementary trainings and improvement of the monitoring system.
2. Improvement of milling services both in public and private sectors.
3. Strengthening the implementation of rice polices by Rice Extension Unit and Food Security Branch in NDAL.

The Phase 2 is to produce guidelines and teaching materials for extension officers of Agriculture Department of Provincial and District Administration to make all the information available for government institutions, communities and farmers who are interested in rice farming.

The Phase 2 also coordinates with JICA Volunteer Program. The technical experts of the Phase 2 mentor the volunteers who are engaged in assisting development of agriculture. This will extend the knowledge and technique of rice farming to the grassroots people through these volunteers dispatched all over PNG.

5. Target Provinces

Madang Province, East Sepik Province, Manus Province, Milne Bay Province

6. The Snapshots of the Project

To be uploaded soon

7. Recent Activities

• Guidelines for Establishing Smallholder Rice Extension in PNG (PDF/1.62MB)
• Guidelines for Mechanical Milling Service (PDF/3.31MB)
• Handbook for Upland Rice Farming (PDF/5.07MB)
• Handbook of Rice Post-Harvest Techniques (PDF/2.64MB)
• Farmer's Handbook for Rice Farming (PDF/6.14MB)
• Buk Long Fama Long Planim Rais (PDF/5.80MB)