Date: 19 November 2026, 10:00–11:00 am (Port Moresby time). Virtual event.
A severe El Niño is predicted for 2026–2027, and early signs are already showing in PNG’s main farming areas. In August and September 2026, NARI and IFPRI ran a fresh produce value chain survey in 130 communities along the Highlands Highway, across Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Western Highlands and Jiwaka. Survey supervisors also recorded observations on markets, livestock, water, trade shop stock and prices, schools and gardens.
This webinar presents findings from the resulting project note. Water shortages and shortened school days were the most widely reported effects, and conditions vary by altitude and province. The findings are observational and not representative of any province or the country. The session ends with a discussion of what regular, standardized monitoring could look like.
Fieldwork and Approach: Observing El Niño Conditions in Highlands Highway Communities
- Belinda Monoi, Agribusiness Development Officer, National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI)
Findings by Theme and Province, Caveats, and Data Needs for Monitoring El Niño
- Emily Schmidt, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Q&A
Closing Remarks
- Nelson Simbiken, Director General, National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI)
Moderator
- Kwaw Andam, Country Program Leader / Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI-Papua New Guinea
For full details and registration, visit the event page on the IFPRI website.
Organized by IFPRI, with support from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
