The First National Sago Conference

摘要

This paper reports on the First National Sago Conference held at the PNG University of Technology, Lae in November 1999. The conference came about as a result of a belated appreciation of the importance of sago as a staple for millions of Papua New Guineans. The severe drought of 1997 brought home to many in government, donor agencies and the community, the precarious nature of PNG food sufficiency in times of disasters. In the 1997 drought, without massive efforts by Australia, amongst others, in supplying food and, more importantly, distributing supplies, thousands in PNG would have perished. Sago, were it produced commercially, clearly has the potential to provide a domestic product for disaster relief, alleviating the almost total dependence on imported rice and flour. The conference brought together general practitioners, scientists, students, politicians and community representatives and the papers reflected the diversity of their interests. The conference produced a set of recommendations for further action leading up to PNG hosting the next International Sago Symposium to be held in Port Moresby in mid-2001.