ACIAR alumni across Papua New Guinea (PNG) have convened in Lae and Port Moresby to reconnect, celebrate, and begin discussions on how they might help shape the country’s future agriculture research.
Alumni from the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors are recipients of the ACIAR capacity building and scholarship programs.
According to ACIAR, alumni from both the private and public sectors gathered to elect regional hub leaders and kickstart planning activities, including attempts to give back to their respective industries.
“The alumni have been trained both locally and overseas and contain a rich pool of expertise in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. They are capable of driving research, development, and innovation in the sectors they work,” ACIAR Outreach and Capacity Building General Manager Eleanor Dean said.
“There are emerging challenges and opportunities in these sectors, including climate change and extreme weather, pests and diseases and new market opportunities. ACIAR is pleased to support our alumni who are eager to contribute innovative thinking and approaches to these challenges,” Dean stated.
Highlands regional hub head and entomologist at the National Agriculture Research Institute, Robert Geno, has welcomed the opportunity for them to network, participate, and celebrate their accomplishments thus far.
“This is a great opportunity to bring together alumni to share experiences, network, appreciate different fields of specialty and most importantly, work together to develop and share what the individual fellows have gained from ACIAR programs,” Geno said.
To date, ACIAR has supported 87 Papua New Guineans in obtaining postgraduate degrees to strengthen local research capability. ACIAR’s capacity-building program assists in developing individuals, organisations, and systems to conduct agricultural research effectively, efficiently, and sustainably.
The organisation added that this is accomplished through dedicated capacity-building initiatives, both through R&D projects and formal programs such as the Meryl Williams Fellowship, John Allwright Fellowship, John Dillion Fellowship, and Pacific Agriculture Scholarship Support and Climate Resilience Program.
