DOCUMENTATION OF POLICIES AND STRATEGIES RELATING TO UNDERUTILISED SPECIES

Papua New Guinea (PNG) was involved in two related exercises during 2006 in the field of underutilised crop plant species. One developed a “Strategic Framework for Underutilised Plant Species Research and Development, with special reference to Asia and the Pacific, and to Sub-Saharan Africa,” and the other documented an “Analysis of National and Institutional Policies and Strategies That Directly or Indirectly Affect the Use of Currently Underutilised Species of Crops for Food and Agriculture” for Papua New Guinea. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and breadnut (A. camansi) clearly fall into the category of crops designated as underutilised. The Strategic Framework was developed through an extensive series of stakeholder consultations under the leadership of the Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilised Species (GFU), Bioversity International and the International Centre for Underutilised Crops. The national study was conducted by the PNG National Agricultural Research Institute and GFU-funded. Outputs from these exercises constitute the elements of a strategic action plan for making more effective use of neglected and underutilised species for food security, improved livelihoods and national or regional development. Breadfruit and breadnut are significant food crops and prime candidates for inclusion in the PNG action plan.