Socio-Economics
The socio-economics programme is based at the NARI Head Office, Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre, Lae – Morobe Province.
It is a national programme, responsible for implementing research on economics, marketing, rural sociology, and statistics to complement and/or provide direction to biological and physical research. Current staff consists of two economists.
Current Activities
1. Improving Marketing Systems for Fresh Produce of the Highlands of PNG
The objectives of the project are three-fold. They include:
- To map the existing marketing system (both formal and informal) and its institutional environment (governmental and infrastructural), identify the constraints and capacity for change and to evaluate the potential for improvement (removing the constraints and/or building on the capacities)
- To facilitate a process of change within the land/sea chain (for bulky, less perishable produce) and the land/air chain (for highly perishable, high value produce)
- To enhance the capacity of relevant people and institutions in PNG
This collaborative research work, funded by ACIAR, is undertaken between the Institute for Regional Community Development - Canberra University, PNG’s Fresh Produce Development Cooperation and NARI.
Activities implemented by NARI staff included supermarket consumer and manager surveys, un-structured surveys with fresh produce stakeholders, economic analysis on consolidation depots, marketing costs, secondary data analysis and preliminary mapping of the highlands fresh produce marketing system.
2. Innovations Systems Study for Rice Adoption in PNG
The objective of this project is to assess constraints that prevent the uptake of rice knowledge and/or rice technologies, using the innovation systems approach. It is funded by the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA). This study has already been completed but another case study building on this will be implemented this year (2005). The objectives of the new case study will be to identify and analyze farmer innovations. More details will be available when the project begins in July.
3. Consumer surveys on galip nut and analysis of data
The project will evaluate the potential of indigenous nuts, especially galip nuts to"
- Enhance the food and nutritional security of the poor in PNG by evaluating the nutritional qualities of fruits and kernels, determining the attitudes and perceptions of small holder producers to the use of these products for improved health and nutrition and assessing the opportunities to increase domestic consumption through genetic selection.
- Enhance the income generation of small-scale producer in PNG by evaluating the variability in sensory and nutritional qualities of the products likely to affect market value, evaluating the likelihood of successfully developing a range of marketable products of Canarium species, and evaluating the potential of domestication and commercialization to create opportunities for income generation by smallholder farmers through improvements to the food and nutritional quality and to market appeal
- Enhance the market potential of indigenous tree products by evaluating in PNG and overseas the market potential, the possible market focus and demand and the market chain efficiencies, the value adding and other requirements associated with expanding the food and other industries
4. Economics of vanilla production and market information Development
The main objectives of this project are to collate production cost and yield data and develop a model farm budget that is realistic under PNG conditions. It will also look at gathering vital market information in assisting farmer production decisions.
5. Updating and maintaining national statistics data
The objective is to maintain an up-to-date national statistics database by collecting and updating relevant data from various sources as they become available. Data is analysed and used in our planning and research activities.
6. Public service through provision of information to stakeholder requests
The purpose is to provide socioeconomic information and assistance to NARI’s stakeholders and researchers, when they request for such information.
7. Strategic planning
The purpose is to assist NARI’s Research Programme Leaders and Management in the development of strategic plans for the Institute and for individual programmes in NARI.
Other Planned Projects for 2005
Study on Peanut Marketing and Consumer Survey
The purpose of this study is to provide an assessment on the size of current and potential market demand and trade-related issues for peanut in PNG. The study will begin mid this year, with funding support from ACIAR. Collaborators on other activities related to peanut include Ramu Sugar and Trukai Industries.
Developing model budgets for selected commodities in PNG
The purpose of this study is to develop suitable model budgets for commodities that have some market importance so that farmers planning to produce for the market can utilise the models to plan their budgets and activities.
Demand studies on other selected commodities
This study will provide an assessment of size and potential current demand of selected commodities in PNG. Information from this study will be useful for planning purposes.
Technology impact assessment on selected crops
This study will begin in 2006.
Assessment of existing and improved agricultural technologies
This project may start this year, if not, 2006
For further information, contact:
Socio-Economics Programme
NARI Head Quarters
Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre
Kana Aburu Haus
P.O Box 4415, Lae 411
Morobe Province
Papua New Guinea
Phone: (675) 475 1444
Fax: (675) 475 1450
Email: jesse.anjen@nari.org.pg