MEDIA RELEASE
15 May 2008
For immediate release
PNG AND ACIAR SET NEW RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Agricultural, fisheries and forestry research and development institutions in Papua New Guinea have been working in partnership with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) for 25 years to serve the development needs of PNG.
ACIAR Deputy Chief Executive Officer Dr John Skerritt said: “ACIAR works in partnership with research and development partners in PNG. A quadrennial consultation is held with research and development partner organisations and collaborators to set agricultural, fisheries and forestry research priorities for the next 4 years.
Dr Skerritt said: “Consistent with each programmatic area, the 2008 consultations are scheduled to run in three different locations. The fisheries sector meetings concluded on 8 May 2008. The horticulture and tree crops sector and forestry meetings are scheduled to run concurrently from 19-20 May 2008 in Goroka and Lae respectively”.
“It is expected that policy and implementation issues and options for further collaboration will be discussed. New initiatives will be identified, prioritised and thematic areas of emphasis for the next four years to 2012 agreed upon in principle”.
“A high level synthesis meeting in Port Moresby on 22 May 2008 will then conclude the consultations.”
ACIAR is a statutory authority that operates as part of the Australian Government’s development cooperation program.
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