Urgent need to revive PNG livestock sector
By MADELEINE AREK
PAPUA New Guinea does not have a properly – managed livestock industry.
This was the opinion of Dr Gibasa Asiba of the National Department of Agriculture and Livestock (NDAL) in Lae.
He said there are so many organisations doing their own little bit that no real work is being done to revive a once booming industry.
Even then, so much is placed on the cash crop sector and very little is done about animal husbandry.
Dr Gibasa said because of a gross neglect of existing facilities and the absence of proper management of the livestock sector, so much was being spent on meat imports, when there were resources readily available in the country for the development of a very vibrant sector.
“Existing livestock facilities in the country have not been maintained. Most are beyond repair. If these facilities were fully functional, we would be able to carry out de-worming, castration, drafting, branding and vaccination practices,” Dr Asiba said.
He said this would not only result in livestock farmers producing cheaper, better quality meat, but also increase internal production, hence reducing meat imports.
“It would also result in a reduction of lifestyle diseases and malnutrition in children,” Dr Asiba said.
He said plans for the development of the country’s livestock industry are outlined under the national agriculture development plan.
Several agencies, like Livestock Development Corp, National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA), National Department of Agriculture and Livestock, National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) and Provincial Department of Agriculture and Livestock are mentioned under the livestock production system.
However, it is not clear, which organisation is actually implementing the plan.
“NARI is involved in research, NAQIA is concerned with bio-security and NDAL, through its food security branch, is involved to some extent in reproduction, production and distribution from Erap Resource Development centre in Lae,” Dr Asiba said.
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