PNG UNRE News

Next month’s Kokopo Science  Café  topic is one that’s close to the heart, or more precisely the stomach of everyone on earth – food. Head of the University’s Agriculture Department, Peter Navus, will present on the topic Can we feed the world? He promised that the presentation will be an interesting one as the question of whether or not the world’s famers can grow enough food to feed an ever increasing population is challenging when different factors are taken into consideration. He said with food being one of three basic needs of human beings, PNG UNRE has a huge role to play in producing quality food. He said many factors such as land, population, information, technology, climate change and others; contribute to food production challenges. He said he would use science to explain the impact of land and food production. “Given that land resources management has a production and a conservation component, an obvious task is to ensure that the rate of production i...

Limited funding is pushing the University farm to come up with innovative ways to increase its revenue so that it reaches its 2020 target to function effectively. Farm and Estate Manager Alex Nugi said the farm is looking at targeted areas to make money for the section. He said because of the University’s funding constraints, the farm had been overlooked over the years and there had not been much maintenance and infrastructure development.   He said facilities have deteriorated resulting in a huge drop in production. Mr Nugi said since joining the University last year, his focus has been on using what is available to invest into new business ventures to could give a good turnover in a long run. He is working on a number of proposals that he hopes will come through for a better outcome for the farm. So far, a cocoa dryer shed has been maintained at the cost of K13,000; and the cocoa nursery has been upgraded to cater for 24,000 seedlings, rolling over every three to ...

Fourth-year students yesterday visited Tzen Niugini’s Oil Palm Processing Mill at Vunapalading area in Gazelle District. This field trip was part of the module A416 Principles of Food Processing . According to Tzen Niugini Estate Manager Murugan Thanimalai the students were the first people from outside the company to visit the mill since it commenced operation at the beginning of last year.   Mr Thanimalai graduated from UNRE last year with a Masters Degree in Management. He said as an Alumni of the University he is willing to assist students understand more about what the company is doing instead of having negative view. The mill is processing crude oil from the palm fruit at a capacity of 60 tonnes per hour while the kernel nuts are shipped and processed at Wide Bay. One of the students, Robert Biago said he had learnt different processing involved in the palm oil extraction from the visit. “I also observed that this newly established company is still developing in...

FFPNG president John Kapi Natto (right) receives a shell money (tabu) gift from the SRC. President of Football Federation PNG John Kapi Natto yesterday launched the UNRE Gazelle Football Association at PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment.  The launch was witnessed by University Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren and senior officers of the university, a rep from Gazelle District Administration, students, staff and people from nearby surrounding communities.  Police Minister and Gazelle MP Jelta Wong who was not present due to his busy schedule conveyed his continuous support to the University through his district representative, Richard Periwanga. Mr Periwanga said the presence of the District at the launching showed the District's commitment to the University. Mr Kapi Natto said the idea to bring soccer into the districts and rural areas was to develop young people and give them opportunity and recognition. “This must come with passion, a dri...

PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment launches its nationally-affiliated soccer association tomorrow. UNRE-Gazelle Football Association (UFGA) is registered with Football Federation PNG (FFPNG). FFPNG president John Kapi Natto who arrives in the province today, will launch the association in the presence of UGFA-affiliated clubs, senior University staff and representatives of the Gazelle District Administration. Police Minister and Gazelle MP Jelta Wong is also expected to attend. UGFA President Joel Ivura, a staff of the University, said the association was started in 2015 for students so they wouldn’t have to make the long distance trip to Kokopo every week to participate in town matches. But when word got out to local surrounding communities that the University was running a soccer competition, the interest received was overwhelming. A total of 22 teams from Inland Baining and Central Gazelle participated in the inaugural competition. Apart from student clu...

Marzena Ann Marinjembi Marzena Ann Marinjembi, a third year Fisheries student at PNG UNRE has no regrets with the choice she made to study Fisheries and Marine Resources at the University. Speaking on Radio East New Britain’s Government Talk Show recently, the lass from East Sepik and New Ireland, said it was her childhood dream to become a marine conservationist. She said this came about after seeing her relatives use fishing methods that disturbed the marine environment. Methods like dynamite fishing and poison plants that not only affected marine biodiversity but it also limited resources in the ocean or sea. Her dream kept her focused on her studies as she progressed through different levels of education. At Grade 11 and 12 she still had no idea which university she would apply to, to pursue her interest. It wasn’t until she was preparing to fill her School Leavers Form (SLF) that she came across PNG UNRE and saw the Fisheries and Marine Resource Program. Without any res...

The Kina-for-Kina (K4K) program, a collaboration by the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia to improve quality in higher education in PNG, is into its second phase at PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment. This follows phase 1, which was an external audit of the University’s teaching quality assurance systems in May last year by three Australian academics. This second phase, is a review of practices, procedures, policies and related documentation in all administrative sections of the University. Australian academic Pauline Thambu who arrived at the University last month, is presently working closely with all section heads to understand the operation of each unit, its functions, systems and processes; and to ensure that each unit understands its role, responsibility and accountability. The two reviews came about after an external academic audit conducted by a groups of academics from Australia and Papua New Guinea i...

The team from Pomio hand over the cheque to Dr Aisak Pue (third from right) and Mr. Edward Laki (second right). Pomio students at PNG UNRE have been urged to excel in their studies and return home to develop the district’s huge natural resources potential. A team from Pomio district, who represented Pomio MP and Minister for Public Service Elias Kapavore, visited the University today to pay school fee subsidies for students from the district. Deputy District Administrator John Liskia, executive officer Hillary Songtava and district electoral office representation Lawrence Anton, presented a cheque of K28,494 to for 13 students. Pro Vice Chancellor Academic Dr Aisak Pue, Bursar Edward Laki, Accounts rep Malom Tamti, Students Representative Council President Jasper Daun and Pomio students and staff witnessed the presentation. Mr Liskia told students that the tough economic time the country is going through, has also affected the District but it had tried its best to ...

Staff and students of PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment will for the first time, be able to participate in the ever popular Trukai Fun Run without leaving campus. Head of ICT and Library Russell Deka Harada who was instrumental in bringing the event to campus said he had done so to promote community social activities and the importance of having a healthy lifestyle. Mr Harada encouraged all students, staff and their families to take part in the event on Sun day June 24. It starts at 5:30am at the main university entrance. The annual Fun Run, which began in 1983, is the largest fundraiser for the PNG Olympic Committee. SP Brewery was the first major sponsor through its brand Pepsi Cola until 2000 when Trukai Industries took over major sponsorship of the event.  It has been estimated that 80,000 people will participate this year in centres throughout the country, including PNG UNRE. T-Shirts are being sold at the Public Relations Office for onl...

Not a lot of attention is given to soccer in East New Britain but the province has proven that it has the talent and potential to play competitive soccer. These are the sentiments of PNG University of Natural Environment and Environment student, John Noddy. Noddy who is a final year Fisheries and Marine Resource student, is also a semi-professional player. He said ENB won the soccer title at the PNG Games in West New Britain last year, even though Morobe, Manus and Madang are known as the best soccer provinces in the country. “This proves that East New Britain has some good talented soccer players who need someone to assist them develop the raw talents they have,” he said. Noddy said he has no doubt that the support of Football Federation PNG (FFPNG), will bring soccer in East New Britain to a higher standard by producing players who can compete nationally. He said the aim of FFPNG is to bring football to grassroots in rural and urban areas so that they can showcase their n...

A strong work ethic is vital to an organisation or company achieving its goals. Michael Kukne, an officer at the University of Natural Resources and Environment’s Human Resources Office said this in a Communication Skills seminar for final year students. He said it is important that they develop a good work ethic as it would take them a long way in their careers. Mr Kukne said a work ethic is a set of moral principles that an employee uses when performing his/her job. “The habit of following good work ethics is inherent - it comes from within, apart from what our parents have taught us,” said Mr Kukne. He said workers revealing good work ethic are considered suitable for better positions and more responsibilities. Therefore, it becomes important to be honest, reliable, responsible and dependable. He said everyone in an organisation from the CEO to the cleaner must have a good work ethic to keep the organisation functioning at its peak. “When you are employed at NBPOL th...

PNG UNRE is staging a Champion Pig Competition that is aimed at helping local pig farmers develop an appreciation for raising livestock. This is the first time the University is staging such an event and entry is open to local farmers and organisations. To register farmers must pay K20/pig while organisations pay K100/pig. Prizes are: K500 (first place); K300 (second place); K200 (third place). The competition will also give farmers the opportunity to display the different breeds of pigs raised here in Papua New Guinea. The competition will be centred on four activities. They are: 1. Pig performance. Live weight, body condition scoring, body conformity and alignment, etc. 2. Pig behaviour (positive response test). The farmer will demonstrate if his/her pig can respond to given signals. 3. DNA sampling from bristle samples. 4. Pig handling. Handlers will judged on their performance to control and present the pig to the judges. The competition is open to all breeds...