Post-drought recovery efforts

 By JAMES LARAKI

POST-DROUGHT is the recovery period after a drought event. 

It is the period from the occurrence of drought breaking rains to first harvest. 

When normal rains return, food production must begin again as soon as possible. 

Planting of early (quick) maturing crops is the obvious solution. 

The use of early maturing crop varieties to provide food in the post-drought period is recommended. 

Recovery plan in terms of food supply is based around re­planting, deciding what to plant and to ensure the required planting materials are easily accessible. 

An important part of drought preparedness is preserving plan­ting materials. 

It is crucial for the recovery phase. The importance of preserving planting materials was discussed in an earlier article under this series.

Food production during recovery phase will vary. 

In the highlands, sweet potato is the main food crop that needs to be planted during post-drought. 

Other important crops that will produce rapidly after drought are maize, beans, peanuts and Irish potato. 

It is useful to note the nitrogen levels will have risen in the soils, partly through death and decay of plants, animals and micro-organisms. 

This is conducive for quick growing leafy vegetables. 

High level of nitrogen is not ideal for sweet potato as it tends to grow more leaves, while tuber production may be disappointing. 

Therefore, it is better to plant crops like maize first, followed by early maturing sweet potato varieties.

NARI, through a series of studies, identified and made available 13 early maturing sweet potato varieties for both the lowlands and highlands. 

These varieties were identify and selected through a number projects initiated to developing adaptation technologies to manage impacts of droughts and frosts in PNG. 

These varieties have been distributed widely and must be planted as soon as normal rains return after a drought. 

The NARI recommended lowland varieties (four varieties) were selected from a past research undertaken by the Pacific Regional Agricultural Programme (PRAP) under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock. 

These varieties can mature in three months (about 13 weeks) and produce edible yield.

There are nine highlands varieties. Five of them were collected from farmers’ fields and four were selected from the PRAP project. 

Studies have shown acceptable yields (4–7 tonnes per hectare) can be obtained after four months, though tubers will continue to bulk up after this. 

These varieties are capable of providing edible tubers sooner than most of the common (local) varieties, which may take longer to mature.

For the highlands region, it is important for people to plant early maturing varieties. The common varieties take nine to 12 months to mature, especially in the higher altitude highlands areas. 

This means the food shortage experienced from a drought will be extended by at least nine months. 

Early maturing sweet potato provides an opportunity for quicker recovery of food production from a severe drought or frost. 

Planting early maturing varieties can reduce this by at least three months. Early maturing varieties can produce edible yields in four months (highlands) and six months (higher altitude highlands). Preferred common varieties can be planted after recovery phase.

Delayed planting and lack of planting materials can further delay the recovery phase. 

Efforts should be made to plant new crops as soon as rains return. Always preserve planting materials to avoid unnecessary delay.

Recovery from a drought event and other traumatic events will take time. Such events are extremely challenging for people directly affected. The stress caused following a natural disaster can lead to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion. 

The 1997/98 drought has given us some experience. The lessons learnt should be helpful in our recovery plan. 

Obviously our recovery plan is based around replanting, what to plant and to ensure the required planting material is easily accessible. 

Planting materials of early maturing varieties can sourced from neighbouring families who already have them in their fields or other sources. 

The foundation planting materials of early maturing sweet potato varieties are available from NARI regional centres located around the country. 

For further information and for planting materials, contact the research and development coordinators of the NARI regional centres. These centres could be contact via telephone or email: Aiyura (537 3500, [email protected]), Tambul (542 3443, [email protected]), Laloki (328 1015, [email protected]), Bubia (475 1033, [email protected]), and Keravat (983 9145, [email protected]).