By R. Bourdeix, 2025.
Note: a previous list of PNG projects was available on the old COGENT website, but it is no longer available, and in 2025, the information was not yet transferred to the new COGENT website.
- 2020-2026. PNG Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification Project (PACD). Funded by World Bank for a total of USD 40 million. Implemented by: PNG Ministry of Agriculture. With partners: Provincial governments, private sector. Project succeeding PPAP, including coconut among diversified value chains (with coffee, cocoa, small livestock, spices) across 12 provinces, with matching grant component supporting coconut commercialization and enterprise development.
- 2018-2026. PHAMA Plus Programme (Phase 2). Funded by Australian DFAT and New Zealand MFAT for a total of AUD 16 million equivalent to USD 10.6 million for PNG component. Implemented by: SPC. With partners: Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK), PNG provincial governments, private sector. Multi-country Pacific horticultural and agricultural market access programme with activities including industrial working groups for high-value coconut products, support for developing industry standards with KIK, and assistance for export market studies of processed coconut products to Australia, New Zealand and regional markets.
- 2016-2025. KIK Coconut Industry Strategic Plan. Funded by PNG Government for a total of Not specified. Implemented by: Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK). With partners: PNG Ministry of Agriculture, provincial governments, cooperatives, research institutions. National policy framework developed in response to agricultural sector reform recommendations, establishing guidance for coconut industry development with focus on farm productivity, downstream processing and product diversification, farmer mobilization via cooperatives, and R&D including biosecurity.
- 2018-2025. Emerging Pest and Disease Threats to Pacific Horticulture. Funded by ACIAR for a total of AUD 5,360,526 equivalent to USD 3.55 million. Implemented by: University of Queensland. With partners: PNG's NARI, SPC (Pacific Community), regional research institutions. ACIAR project (HORT/2016/185) focusing on integrated pest and disease management, including biological and cultural control of coconut pests such as the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB-G) in PNG and across the Pacific.
- 2023-2024. ACP Business-Friendly Project - Agri-Value Chain Finance Facility. Funded by European Union (EU) and Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) for a total of EUR 34.7 million equivalent to USD 36.9 million. Implemented by: Pacific Community (SPC) and International Trade Centre (ITC). With partners: Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK). Established coconut value chain finance model in PNG with disease-free nurseries at Malala (Bogia District, Madang Province), Viviran and Tabuna (East New Britain Province) to produce high-yield, disease-resistant planting materials, specifically addressing Bogia Coconut Syndrome.
- 2019-2024. Safeguarding and deploying coconut diversity for improving livelihoods (C4L). Funded by ACIAR for a total of AUD 2,003,117 equivalent to USD 1.32 million. Implemented by: SPC (Pacific Community). With partners: Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK, PNG), Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu. ACIAR project (HORT/2017/025) supporting rejuvenation of coconut-based livelihoods in Pacific Islands by strengthening conservation and utilization of coconut diversity, addressing biotic threats (rhinoceros beetle, Bogia syndrome), and establishing coordinated platforms for coconut R&D initiatives.
- 2019-2024. Pacific Awareness and Response to Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (PARC). Funded by New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) for a total of NZD 18 million equivalent to USD 10.9 million. Implemented by: SPC Land Resources Division. With partners: AgResearch NZ, PNG agencies (NAQIA, KIK, PNG Oil Palm Research Association, NARI), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu. Programme addressing regional spread of invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle through biocontrol research and biosecurity/surveillance components to limit CRB-G spread, reduce populations, develop long-term solutions through integrated pest management, and enhance regional capacity.
- 2020-2024. Safeguarding threatened coconut diversity within the upgraded ICG-SP. Funded by ACIAR, Crop Trust, Bioversity International for a total of Not specified. Implemented by: SPC and Bioversity International. With partners: PNG Government (KIK), Fiji, Samoa. Project building on Darwin Initiative to safeguard threatened coconut diversity with continued relocation and upgrades of the International Coconut Genebank for South Pacific (ICG-SP), supplying ambitious replanting programmes to replenish seriously depleted coconut palm populations.
- 2022-2024. Coconut Strategic Framework and Regional Network for the Pacific (Pasifika NiuNet). Funded by SPC for a total of Not specified. Implemented by: SPC Land Resources Division. With partners: Regional coconut research and development institutions, Pacific island governments. Project developing first inclusive regional platform for coconut R&D owned and managed by Pacific for Pacific, addressing constraints including variety limitations, climate change impacts, senile palm low production, and pest/disease effects.
- 2020-2022. PNG Coconut Research & Development Program. Funded by PNG Government for a total of PGK 61.2 million equivalent to USD 17.6 million. Implemented by: Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK). With partners: NARI, provincial agricultural authorities. Implementation initiative of the national coconut strategy that established 14 provincial coconut nurseries using improved, disease-resistant planting materials, and delivered substantial support for applied coconut research and industry revitalization. Key outcomes included creation of decentralized multiplication sites, distribution of elite seedlings, and fostering of provincial public/private partnerships for coconut sector recovery and growth.
- 2019-2022. COGENT Support Project. Funded by ACIAR for a total of AUD 475,624 equivalent to USD 0.31 million. Implemented by: Bioversity International transitioning to ICC (International Coconut Community). With partners: ICC, national coconut genebanks in PNG and Pacific islands. Supported transitional arrangements for transferring COGENT Programme hosting from Bioversity International to ICC, with individual assessments of five International Coconut Genebanks including PNG and initial support for long-term conservation and COGENT database integration.
- 2014-2020. Bogia Coconut Syndrome in Papua New Guinea. Funded by ACIAR for a total of AUD 615,757 equivalent to USD 0.43 million. Implemented by: Charles Sturt University. With partners: PNG's NARI, NAQIA, New Britain Oil Palm Company, PNG Oil Palm Research Association, University of Southern Queensland. ACIAR project (HORT/2012/087) aimed to elucidate the biology and epidemiology of Bogia coconut syndrome (a lethal phytoplasma disease in Madang Province) and develop risk-management strategies to protect PNG's coconut palms and germplasm resources.
- 2016-2019. Coconut Industry Development Project (CIDP). Funded by European Union (EU) for a total of EUR 3.5 million equivalent to USD 3.9 million. Implemented by: SPC Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT). With partners: Bioversity International, COGENT network, Pacific island governments (Samoa, Vanuatu, PNG and others). Strengthened Pacific coconut value chains by integrating coconut policy, building capacity and testing value-chain pilots, improving coconut production, processing and market linkages across 15 Pacific countries including PNG through market studies, pilot projects, and development of commodity-specific roadmaps.
- 2016-2019. Darwin Initiative - Upgrading and broadening the new South-Pacific International Coconut Genebank. Funded by UK Government (Darwin Initiative) for a total of GBP 317,884 equivalent to USD 0.41 million. Implemented by: Bioversity International (COGENT Programme coordinator). With partners: PNG Government (KIK), governments of Fiji and Samoa, CIRAD, SPC, APCC, ICC, Crop Trust. Relocated the International Coconut Genebank for the South Pacific (ICG-SP) from Madang (Stewart Research Station, PNG) to Punipuni (Milne Bay Province, PNG) due to Bogia Coconut Syndrome risk, with backup duplication in Fiji and Samoa. Actions included germplasm collection missions, technical workshops, capacity building for coconut conservation staff, and integration of new accessions into the Coconut Genetic Resources Database.
- 2011-2018. PHAMA Phase 1. Funded by Australian DFAT and New Zealand MFAT for a total of AUD 5 million equivalent to USD 3.3 million for PNG component of AUD 34.2 million multi-country programme. Implemented by: SPC and national agricultural agencies. With partners: PNG Ministry of Agriculture, KIK, private sector organizations, farmer groups. Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program providing practical assistance to public and private sectors to increase horticultural and agricultural exports including coconut products, with demonstrated positive impact on 140,000+ Pacific people and creation of 5,600 jobs.
- 2014-2017. Pacific Agriculture Policy Project (PAPP). Funded by European Union (EU) for a total of EUR 8 million equivalent to USD 8.7 million for Pacific component. Implemented by: SPC Land Resources Division. With partners: National agricultural ministries and organizations across Pacific region. Intra-ACP programme increasing capability of agricultural development organizations in Pacific region, addressing smallholder development needs through new technologies, traditional knowledge, and market linkages, benefiting coconut sector through policy support and regional exchanges.
- 2011-2015. Increasing Agricultural Commodity Trade (IACT) Project. Funded by European Union (EU) for a total of EUR 70,000 equivalent to USD 0.076 million for Amruqa coconut component. Implemented by: SPC Land Resources Division. With partners: Amruqa enterprise (East New Britain Province), provincial government. Provided assistance to Amruqa enterprise in East New Britain Province for virgin coconut oil processing facility improvements with production capacity up to 10 tonnes/month for export to regional and international markets.
- 2010-2015. Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative (PARDI) Phase 1. Funded by ACIAR for a total of AUD 10 million equivalent to USD 6.6 million. Implemented by: University of Queensland. With partners: SPC, national research institutions across six Pacific Island Countries including PNG. Research and development platform for high-value agricultural, fisheries and forestry products in Pacific Island Countries, creating sustainable livelihood outcomes through supply-chain and market-driven research approaches.
- 1991-1995. ACIAR Coconut Improvement Project (PN9025). Funded by ACIAR for a total of AUD ~700,000 equivalent to USD ~0.46 million (82% ACIAR-funded). Implemented by: PNG Cocoa & Coconut Research Institute. With partners: NARI, local research stations. Developed improved technologies for coconut multiplication including phenotypic and genotypic characterization of genetic resources, PNG and South Pacific germplasm collection, embryo culture techniques evaluation, and establishment of repository at Stewart Research Station.
- 1998-ongoing. International Coconut Genebank for South Pacific (ICG-SP) Establishment. Funded by PNG Government, IPGRI/COGENT, and FAO for a total of Not specified. Implemented by: PNG Government with FAO as depositary. With partners: IPGRI (now Bioversity International), COGENT network, SPC, regional governments. Memorandum of Understanding signed 1998 between PNG and IPGRI/COGENT with FAO as depositary to establish International Coconut Genebank at Stewart Research Station for conservation, evaluation, and utilization of South Pacific coconut germplasm with embryo culture laboratory renovation and establishment of local and dwarf variety accessions.
- 1985-1995. Coconut Development Project. Funded by IFAD, ADB, and PNG Government for a total of USD 25.86 million (IFAD USD 3.46M, ADB USD 12M, PNG Government USD 10.4M). Implemented by: PNG Government Ministry of Agriculture. With partners: Provincial governments, farmer cooperatives, rural communities. Agricultural development project reversing coconut production decline by helping farmers develop markets, product processing, smallholder plantations, management and coordination, with training services, research, improved storage facilities, quality control, and input supply, benefiting approximately 375,000 people.
