CUT/PASTE from Post Courier----17/10/06
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20061017/thhome.htm
Improving technology
A pilot project geared towards providing better recommendations on vegetable cultivation for Papua New Guinea farmers is underway. This partnership initiative between the Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA), University of Goroka and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is looking into providing farmers with up to date information on suitable vegetable crops, their cultivars and cost effective production technologies. The project was conceived due to a demand from farmers and extension officers for advice on growing vegetable crops with farmer friendly production technologies, which is missing. The extension information (Save Bilong Kumu) generated in the ‘80s by the Fresh Produce Development Company (now FPDA) is also obsolete and needs updating. It is envisaged the research trials will identify suitable vegetable crops and their management options in a couple of years. Then go further to test the varieties and production practices to fine tune the technologies for better adoption and adaptation in various agro ecological niches and socio-economic conditions. This would also help in collecting accurate data for realistic economic analysis and providing hands on training on improved production techniques for economic and productive vegetable cultivation. Presently, Chinese cabbage, round cabbage, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum and lettuce with about eight to 10 cultivars of each crop are being assessed. A sensory test on round cabbage, one of the vegetables being evaluated in the project, was recently conducted in Aiyura, Eastern Highlands, by NARI. The taste panel consisting of growers and consumers were required to taste eight varieties of cabbage and rated them according to texture, taste, water content and other properties. This will help in determining which type of cabbage people prefer the most and will be recommended to farmers for planting. Other criteria for selection are adaptability, growth period, yield and pest and disease problems.
