Articles
PYRETHRUM INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN THE HIGHLANDS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Article number
1073_4
Pages
43 – 48
Language
English
Abstract
The future of the pyrethrum industry in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) was thrown into jeopardy in 1995 due to the abrupt cessation of all export market arrangements with the existing customer.
This resulted in some 65-85,000 subsistence farmers losing their major source of cash income in a matter of weeks.
Enga Province, which produces 98% of PNG pyrethrum, initiated new marketing arrangements made with Botanical Resource Australia Pty Ltd (BRA) during 2005, accompanied by a major new project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR). The project was aimed at re-commercializing the PNG pyrethrum industry and improving harvested yield, with a major focus on ensuring local science and technology was more widely available, extended to, and adopted by PNG pyrethrum growers, to help sustain the industry into the foreseeable future.
This paper presents an overview of the rural agricultural extension activities undertaken by the Enga Pyrethrum Company (EPC) to revive the pyrethrum industry over the four year duration of the ACIAR supported project.
These activities included the establishment of centralised propagation nurseries, farmer training, formation of farmers co-operatives, and the development and management of pyrethrum estates.
At the completion of the project, extension coverage included six districts in Enga Province.
An estimated 10,000 pyrethrum growers were trained and 105 ha of land was developed for plantations, with an estimated 900,000 improved pyrethrum seedlings distributed.
Overall yield improved from 32 tons to 61 tons per year from 2007 to 2011 and income levels of small holders increased significantly.
The effectiveness of the extension activities and other impacts of the project are discussed in this paper.
This resulted in some 65-85,000 subsistence farmers losing their major source of cash income in a matter of weeks.
Enga Province, which produces 98% of PNG pyrethrum, initiated new marketing arrangements made with Botanical Resource Australia Pty Ltd (BRA) during 2005, accompanied by a major new project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR). The project was aimed at re-commercializing the PNG pyrethrum industry and improving harvested yield, with a major focus on ensuring local science and technology was more widely available, extended to, and adopted by PNG pyrethrum growers, to help sustain the industry into the foreseeable future.
This paper presents an overview of the rural agricultural extension activities undertaken by the Enga Pyrethrum Company (EPC) to revive the pyrethrum industry over the four year duration of the ACIAR supported project.
These activities included the establishment of centralised propagation nurseries, farmer training, formation of farmers co-operatives, and the development and management of pyrethrum estates.
At the completion of the project, extension coverage included six districts in Enga Province.
An estimated 10,000 pyrethrum growers were trained and 105 ha of land was developed for plantations, with an estimated 900,000 improved pyrethrum seedlings distributed.
Overall yield improved from 32 tons to 61 tons per year from 2007 to 2011 and income levels of small holders increased significantly.
The effectiveness of the extension activities and other impacts of the project are discussed in this paper.
Authors
M. Yaso, J. Yando, W.A. Meckseane, K. Sitango, E. Lindsay, P. Corbett, J. Wright, E. Flowers, B. Casey, B. Chung
Keywords
pyrethrum, PNG, ACIAR, re commercialisation extension, smallholders, nurseries
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