Private Sector Role in Establishing Papua New Guinea’s Climate and Weather Information System

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) estimates that 30% of the land in PNG has potential but only 4% is being used for commercial production. While there exists significant space for expansion, the lack of an effective national climate information system hinders agricultural success for both smallholder farmers and agribusiness. Trukai Industries, Ltd., a PNG-based rice agribusiness company, has demonstrated interest in supporting the enhancement of a national climate information system, and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is spearheading an effort to engage other private sector actors in this initiative. Based on fieldwork conducted in PNG, a workshop on climate information and early warning systems with agribusinesses in PNG, and interviews with private sector actors, this research examines the incentives and barriers that the private sector faces for collaborating with government in supporting the national climate information system. Key findings include: the need to build confidence in the reliability of the government’s communication system before the private sector is likely to engage, the importance of focusing on small-scale events that contribute to adaptation, rather than only on large El Nino-related disasters, and the potential to co-locate equipment to serve both agribusiness and smallholder needs.