Poor harvests could mean starvation

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

ABOUT 14,000 people from Ambullua in Upper Jimi, Jiwaka, face starvation after some staple crops have shown low yields.

Kaukau, taro and bananas in the council wards of Mame, Gepal, Yauarimui, Kunmoi, Mongum, Duga and Guma are extremely poor and people are naturally concerned.

The villagers claim recent strange weather has affected growth. 

Terry Kerwil, of the Tapia Wolumka tribe in the Ambullua Catholic parish, told The National yesterday that low yields had resulted  since 1997, after drought had gripped the country.

Kerwil said sweet potatoes and taro were not bearing and bananas were stunting before bearing fruit.

He said kaukau roots formed little marble-like bulges instead of tubers.

Taro grew well and at first but then their leaves dried up before harvesting time.

“When we harvested the taro, there was no bulb. They remained just as we had planted them,” Kerwil said.

He said the matter was brought to the attention of authorities such as the Jiwaka provincial government, Western Highlands provincial disaster office, National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), Department of Agriculture and Livestock and a few others but they had not responded.

He said they didn’t know what had  caused growth problems.

“I want to call on NARI and other concerned authorities to visit the area, find out about the problem and tell us what crops to grow,” Kerwil said.

He said there was a famine in the area and people were looking for ways and means to survive because the crops were extremely poor.

Pere Ngond, a rural development officer in Jimi, confirmed crops had been badly affected resulting in people running out of food in six council wards of the Kol local level government area in Upper Jimi.