Food and Agriculture in Papua New Guinea

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) was established in 1985. Its mission (approved by the National Executive Council on 22 August 1989) is to ensure natural and physical resources are managed to sustain environmental quality and human well-being.

The Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA) was established in 1993 under the 1991 Forestry Act replacing the former Department of Forest, and unifying all Provincial Forest Divisions and the Forest Industries Council. The PNGFA has 19 provincial offices which include five regional offices. The PNGFA mission statement is to: Promote the management and wise utilization of the forest resources of Papua New Guinea as a renewable asset for the well- being of present and future generations.

PNGFA Group has been created to facilitate sharing of useful data / information that could feed into SOE, MEA and SDG Reports.

Providing quality leadership through formulation, coordination and alignment of plans,
policies and strategies to National, Sector and Sub National Priorities

Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) is a new government entity that is now undergoing transition from the former Office of Climate Change and Development (OCCD). CCDA coordinates the Climate Change efforts of the Government of Papua New Guinea, a continuation of basically where the former OCCD left off. It is the coordinating entity for all climate change related policies and actions in the country. Additionally, it is the designated National Authority under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The office is currently undergoing a transitional phase which requires a major re-structure, in a coordinated and structured manner,complying with its own Climate Change Management Act (CCMA) 2015. The CCMA 2015 clearly defines this in Sections 8-11 of the Act on the organisation’s establishment, purpose, functions and powers.

CCDA is basically tasked with ensuring that Papua New Guinea follows a path of climate-compatible growth; that the country’s economy develops while simultaneously mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and reducing vulnerability to climate change related risks.

The Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) is responsible for providing extension services to the smallholders, out-growers and settlers within the precincts of nuclear estates of oil palm growing provinces. OPIC’s key role is to provide efficient delivery programs and develop market infrastructure for its smallholders and out-growers.
Oil palm is the third major crop with 14% of the annual export values. It covers land area of 58 000 hectares (estate 33 000 ha and smallholder 25 000 ha, involving about 7 000 families). The estates produce 65% of the output and 35% from the smallholders.

The oil palm industry supports about 4.5% of all rural households and their annual production is at the rate of 12% since 1997. The overall growth rate of the industry since 1997 has been 15.5% per annum.

Three major schemes (Hoskins, Bialla and Popodentta) produce the bulk of the palm oil in the country. All the schemes operate their own mills producing crude palm oil entirely for export. OPIC was established by an Act of Parliament in 1992 to take reign over the oil palm industry in place of the ‘extension services’ of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock. It was geared to improve the economic and social wellbeing of smallholder oil palm growers throughout Papua New Guinea by providing an appropriate field extension and development services comparable to that of the private sector as well as to reign over regulatory function of the industry on behalf of DAL.

Department of Lands and Physical Planning information