Frost and drought damage food crops in Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu

Dry conditions and frost are affecting food crops across parts of Papua New Guinea as El Niño develops in the western Pacific.

In Kosipe, in the Goilala district of Central Province, freezing nights followed by sunshine have damaged local crops. “The frost continues to fall every night,” said resident Anthony Morant. “When the sun rises in the morning, it burns out the crops … we’re going into the fourth month now, and all the current crops are gone.”

In June, growers in Upper Mendi in the Southern Highlands reported frost damage to taro, sweet potatoes, bananas, and sugar cane. Other areas are reporting declining water supplies and lower river levels.

According to Wilson Thompson, president of the PNG Farmers and Settlers Association, crops planted in June are unlikely to yield a harvest, while earlier plantings could yield less than half, and in some cases only a quarter, of expected volumes.

Around four in five people in Papua New Guinea depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, much of it through subsistence or semi-subsistence farming. The government has allocated an additional US$157 million to its El Niño response.

Dry conditions are also affecting crops in Vanuatu, where as much as 80 per cent of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Market vendors report that island cabbage is dying, while banana trees are producing lower-quality fruit. Dry weather is also increasing the risk of fires affecting food crops.

Northern Vanuatu is expected to receive below-average rainfall. Vanuatu’s Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department expects El Niño conditions to reach their peak in November, December, and January.