Papua New Guinea has huge potential for research

-
PAPUA NEW GUINEA is blessed. Its natural resources are full of surprises and have a huge potential for research.
PNG UNRE Alumni Jacob Yomba, who graduated with a Bachelor in Tropical Agriculture in March 2016, said this in a presentation on campus last Sunday evening.
He said Papua New Guinea has made and is still making history with the discovery of many new plant and animal species because of its extremely high biodiversity.
The country is home to the world’s smallest known vertebrate; the world’s largest butterfly; the world’s very few toxic birds; and many more.
Mr Yomba is employed by New Guinea Binatang Research Centre (NGBRC), a non-profit organisation involved with biological research and conservation in PNG.
He was in East New Britain on duty travel and visited UNRE to give a talk about what he does at NGBRC to motivate students and also network with them.
Established in 1975, NGBRC is advancing biodiversity research in PNG. It trains Papua New Guineans in biology at all levels - from field technicians through para ecologists to postgraduate students; and develops educational and nature conservation programmes that target grassroots audiences. 
It is also involved in the study of insects which Mr Yomba says is a challenging task.
He said there is a global estimate of Insect Species Diversity at 6.1 million species.
Mr Yomba’s colleague, Dr Milan Zanda, spoke at the presentation about his study on ants which began 18 years ago
Dr Zanda said ants are the most abundant and ecologically dominant insects of tropical forest ecosystems and have diversity patterns representative to other arthropod groups.
They have a large range of ecological roles (scavengers, herbivores, predators, mutualists). He said ants are important to the ecosystems and influence many other organisms around them.
Dr Zanda has covered most of the mainland areas and is now moving to the New Guinea Islands to identify how many species of ants there are in each province.
The NGBRC team is now in New Ireland and will travel back to East New Britain in two weeks’ time.

Dr Milan Zanda and Mr Jacob Yomba (front row) at the presentation last Sunday.

Popular posts from this blog

PNG UNRE to offer five new undergraduate programs

-
Image
Professor Dan Orcherton. PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment through the School of Environment and Climate Change will begin offering five new undergraduate programs in 2021. The five programs are: Degree in Environment and Climate Change; and Advanced Diploma in Environmental Health under the Department of Climate Change, Health and Development; and Degree in Renewable Energy and Environmental Engineering; Advanced Diploma in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation; and Advanced Diploma in Environmental Engineering under the Department of Environmental Engineering. The School of Environment and Climate Change (SECC) will establish its other two departments – Department of GeoSciences and Geohazards and Department of Environmental Law - and their academic programs in the near future. For now though, SECC has been marketing its new programs to students in secondary schools in the province.  The first awareness session was conducted at Kerevat National High School on Wed
Read more

UNRE takes back UNRE Popondetta

-
Image
Oro Provincial Administration staff with UNRE officers. PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment will resume offering its Academic Programs at PNG UNRE Popondetta Campus in Oro Province next year (2021). This follows a decision by the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST). Last week UNRE Chancellor Professor Kenneth Sumbuk and acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor Planning and Development Dr Francis Essacu, with senior staff from UNRE Popondetta Campus met with Oro Provincial Administrator Trevor Magei and executive members from the Office of Governor Garry Juffa to discuss the latest development of Popondetta Campus. In a recent interview, Dr Essacu said that a team of staff members from UNRE main Campus and Chancellor Professor Sumbuk visited the campus to see the facilities as well as to hold discussions with the Provincial Government and Popondetta campus staff on the DHERST decision.  He explained that DHERST had made a decision for UNRE to resu
Read more

UNRE launches Cocoa and Goat Integration Manual

-
Image
NARI Kerevat Research Leader Godfrey Hannet launches the new Goat training manual as Acting PVC Academic & Research Peter Navus (right) looks on.  PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment through its farmer training centre has launched the Cocoa and Goat Integration Training Manual and opened a Goat Breeding Centre. The event, which was held last month was attended by university staff; representatives from NARI, NAQIA and PNG Cocoa Board; James Butubu Area Manager ACIAR Bougainville; and acting Pro Vice Chancellor Academic and Research Mr Peter Navus. Speaking on behalf of the University, Mr Navus thanked the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) for having confidence in UNRE as one of its partners, the University Farmer Training Centre, Kairak Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (KCfSRD) for the implementation of the project objectives and the other collaborating partners. Mr Navus is confident that the Centre has achieved its objective
Read more