The National Livestock Policy needs to provide clear directions on Livestock and Development in Papua New Guinea (PNG) says the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI).
This was revealed during the Momase National Livestock Policy Consultation Meeting in Lae city on Tuesday (20/05/2025), attended by NARI’s top management to provide Research and Development Input, which highlighted Research and Development as cornerstones for growth in the industry.
Speaking at the Consultation was Deputy Director General of NARI Dr Peter Gendua, who reminded participants that the underlying objectives for all government agencies are to address socioeconomic gaps to create a happy, healthy, and wealthy society as spelt out in the Vision 2050.
As a government-sanctioned research institution, NARI prioritizes Economy Development and Value Chains, Building Resilient Systems, and finding solutions for Nutritious Food and Healthy Diets.
NARI remains the sole Livestock research facility in the country and believes that with additional support from the National Agriculture Research System (NARS) or other enabling agencies through policy guidelines, more innovative solutions are viable.
“We are not only talking about commercial agriculture for both livestock and crops, but we’re also talking about commercial economic activities, climate resilience, and nutrition,” said Dr Gendua.
“We have to ensure that someone in a very remote area is having a healthy, nutritious meal that includes affordable meat,” Dr Gendua stressed.
Other concerns raised by participants included Stock Feed cost and accessibility, and an effective breeding program.
Addressing these concerns, Dr Gendua pointed out that NARI currently focuses on poultry, goats, pigs, and fish; and is exploring cost-effective feeding systems under these livestock, such as Pig silage, Mini feed mill system, and Black Soldier Fly.
“Under genetic resources, we are looking at Village Chicken, Ducks, Goats, and Pigs whilst addressing and improving access to breeding stock through piloting of rural hatchery and breeding centres exploring solar-powered hatchery and incubation system.”
Cementing his colleague’s point of view, the Director General of NARI, Dr Nelson Simbiken, highlighted the importance of Genetic improvement and participatory breeding programmes and suggested that the policy encompass a system that involves rural and smallholder farmers.
“We have a massive problem of not having good genetic material maintained at the breeder farms.”
“If companies are already doing that, then we must close the gap between smallholder commercial farmers and the companies.”
NARI is prepared to partner with the Livestock Industry Authority and the Livestock Development Corporation to achieve the Government’s policy objectives that are aligned with the National Agriculture Sector Plan and the MTDP 4, ultimately achieving the Vision 2050.
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