Govt fails to protect crops

THE Governments’ inability to recognise and protect locally-innovated agricultural technologies to improve cash crop quality and production has resulted in a loss of revenue, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Tommy Tomscoll says.
He was critical of the Government’s failure to adequately fund agricultural activities especially innovative applicable knowledge, skills, technologies and practices developed by scientists in PNG to improve agriculture products.
Tomscoll said PNG had some top scientists in the world that developed the technology in solar cocoa drier including 18 species of cocoa seedlings clone and cocoa best practices manual.
He pointed out the negligence to recognise and protect (patent) the knowledge and technology skills of the solar cocoa drier and cocoa best practices manual which has been “duplicated and used in Vietnam, Indonesia and Pacific islands benefiting their farmers’ production immensely.
He said similar issues applied to coffee, coconut and other cash and food crops especially taro.
Tomscoll launched the Markham Valley cocoa export association dealer certificate including the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the lease of customary land for agriculture and business activities.
The agreement was signed by the First Time Mangi’s Morobe Chapter and the Orogwangin Mpi Sangra clan of Gabsongkeg village in Wampar, Huon Gulf for 129 hectares at Tanam near the Nadzab Airport.
The 129 land hectares caters for 144 tenants each having 500 cocoa trees respectively.