The significance was to raise awareness on food insecurity and poverty.
The United Nationsrsquo; Food and Agriculture Organization saysthetheme focuses onthe need for profound changes in our agriculture and food systems to addressthese concerns.
PNG is blessed with an abundance of natural resources but development and environmental challenges have effects on food security.
The National Agricultural ResearchInstitute has identiflied short term threats, aggravated by climate change and ther challenges such as increasing food prices.
PNG has a seven million plus population with majority of its people living in rural areas that are dependent on subsistence farming, supplemented by a cash income fromthe producethey sell.
Therefore, generallythe food security in PNG is good because a large portion ofthe population is able to sustain itself.
However, one agriculture expert fromthe Australian National University, Dr. Mike Berke saidthe agriculture sector is being threatened because more focus is being given to impact resource projects.
Early this year, Treasury Minister Don Polye’saidthe government will invest more in agriculture to improver small-scale agriculture enterprises.
This strategy not only encourages business investments and returns, but is expected to encourage food production.
It is important to understand that food security is not only dependent on local production, but on imports as well. ThougPNG produces most ofthe food it consumes, much ofthe balance it requires are imported.
Encouraging food production for commercial exports increases producers’ income. It also provides opportunities for employmentowhile local consumers benefit through lower food prices.
Tari Pori isthe first district to introduce a Five Year Agriculture Plan, to capture all existing and potential agriculture activities inthe district.
Local MP James Marape’said he wants his people to make use oftheir non-renewable resources.
The Department of Agriculture and Livestock says it is important to enable our agriculture and food systems to meet today’s challenges and to sustainably support humanity’s future needs.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gn2R-KBeu2o%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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