High Altitude Highlands
Tambul & Kandep
Research centers for the NARI High Altitude Highlands Programme (HAHP) are located at Tambul in the Western Highlands and Kandep in Enga province.
They cater for research
and food security needs of people living in the high-altitude agro-ecological zone of Papua
New Guinea (PNG). This covers areas above 1800 masl where about 880,000 people (18% of PNG
population) live. They do not grow major cash crops such as coffee but rely on cash income
from the sale of temperate vegetables and pyrethrum. Many of them live in remote areas with
poor market access and their crops are subject to frost risk. Frost occurs at other times
when there is no drought.
Crops grown include sweet potato, Irish potato, and introduced and traditional vegetables. Intensive farming systems consist of compost mounding.
The programme is expanding its research activities and developing its capacity and infrastructure with support from AusAID and the European Union. Research on high altitude wheat production is undertaken at Kandep. The programme will also coordinate some research work at Taluma in Enga and Karel in the Southern Highlands.
Research Focus
The major research focus is on alternative cash and food crops (pyrethrum, wheat, Andean tubers), frost management, crop management (brassicas and potatoes), soil fertility management, and livestock integrated systems for the high altitude areas.
Research studies and other research related activities carried out at Tambul include:
- Assessing and developing alternative cash and food crops (pyrethrum, wheat, Andean tubers)
- Ascertaining the economic viability and marketing feasibility of these crops (pyrethrum, wheat)
- Assessing and developing frost management technologies and strategies through advanced research into sweet potato. Sweet potato is the major staple in the high altitude areas but takes 9-12 months to mature and is sensitive to frost. Research work is expected to identify early maturing cultivars and may also look at food storage as a means to reduce food insecurity during periods of frost and drought
- Developing appropriate varieties and crop management practices for brassicas and potatoes
- Designing and developing soil fertility management practices. Soil fertility problems, including high rates of phosphate fixation and trace elements deficiencies are a particular feature of soils in high altitude areas. These affect production of cash and subsistence crops and will receive special attention as part of the high altitude research programme
- Developing crop and livestock integration systems for higher altitude areas. The program will review past research work from these areas in order to put together an appropriate future research agenda for high altitude agriculture in PNG.
Information and Outreach
An Information Centre is established at the heart of Mt Hagen city, as the HAHP’s urban office. This facility, which holds agricultural publications and information, is ideally located for farmers from all highlands provinces to access them. It also assists in the Outreach & Liaison activities for the programme and provides library services to staff and other clients.
For further information, Contact
NARI High Altitude Highlands Programme
P.O Box 120, MT HAGEN
Western Highlands Province
Papua New Guinea
Phone: (675) 542 3443
Fax: (675) 542 2779
Email: narihahp@nari.org.pg