Saving a staple crop: impact of biological control of the banana skipper on poverty reduction in Papua New Guinea

Summary

The ACIAR-supported Banana Skipper project led to the successful introduction of a biological control agent against the butterfly pest of bananas that was reducing the productivity of the banana crop. This study focuses on the impacts of the project on poverty reduction, specifically through an examination of incomes. Poverty through income deprivation is a considerable problem in PNG, especially in rural areas where household income sources are dependent on subsistence agricultural. The study reviews the banana skipper project, agriculture in PNG and poverty, including the link between poverty and banana production. The study then concludes with the impact of the project on poverty reduction, both for producers and the flow on effects resulting from increased supply and price impacts.