This project builds on the success of a previous project (AH/1998/054) in upland areas of Papua and West Papua Provinces by continuing to develop options to improve cash income from sweetpotatoes and pigs, improve human health and nutrition using higher yielding varieties of sweetpotato with improved storage traits and decreasing the risk of parasitic zoonoses. Improving productivity and efficiency of the sweetpotato-pig production system, with better utilisation of the resources associated with it, will enable diversification through integration of vegetables and small livestock. The value of the project was recognised by Provincial Government when pig-sweetpotato production was nominated as one of three industries for inclusion in the Livelihood Improvement in Papua and West Papua project, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). As a result the project was expanded in April 2010 by adding objective 4 which will result in the dissemination of project outcomes to other areas of the Provinces.
The major partners continue to be SARDI, the International Potato Centre and Balai Besar Penggkajian dan Pengembangan Teknologi Pertanian, through BPTP Papua and West Papua. However University of Papua, CIP, University of Adelaide Food Plus Program and the Institute for Tubers and Legumes (Malang) are providing support in sweetpotato cultivation, nutritional analysis, and storage and processing technology. Further local agronomic support is being provided by BPTP and the Department Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Security, West Papua Province. SARDI is leading the pig production and health aspects of the project, but expertise and diagnostic technology is being provided by University of Queensland and Udayana University in zoonotic parasitology and University of Gaja Mada in microbiology. Regional Departments of Animal Husbandry in Mimika and Jayawijaya (Papua Province) and Department Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Security, West Papua Province, along with the Diagnostic Investigation Centre in Maros Sulawesi are providing diagnostic and monitoring support. The team being built covers a wide spectrum of scientific, technical and extension expertise across several disciplines in food production and animal production and health.
Although progress has been relatively slow, three successful workshops have been conducted which resulted in significant team building and clarity of purpose.
Emphasis during the first year has been on gaining a better understanding of Arfak methods of pig production. A social diagnostic survey was completed in December 2009 and a formal workshop is planned for October 2010 to draw conclusions and identify areas requiring a change in approach. A pig disease survey was also completed in May 2010 to identify key health and production issues in pigs.
The adaption of the Baliem Valley Pig Production System to the Arfak region will be a major activity in the coming year.
Significant capacity building in technology through training and transfer has occurred. UNIPA has enhanced its capacity for chemical analysis through purchase of equipment and staff training in analytical techniques. Relevant diagnostic technology transferred from University of Queensland to Udayana University will be transferred to Maros DIC and local Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories.
Forming linkages with the IFAD program referred to above was the most significant change during the first year and this will require the development of a training package for agricultural extension workers and farmers.
The plan to develop nutritionally enhanced flour from sweetpotato has been dropped as baking and using ovens are not part of the culture of people living in the Arfak or Baliem Valley. Instead efforts will be concentrated on SP storage technology and crop diversification to achieve improvements in human nutrition
Mr Sukendra Mahalaya, a John Allwright Fellow will complete a PhD at Adelaide University in July 2010 and return to the project as Indonesian project coordinator with supervision of the project coordinators in Manokwari (West Papua) and Wamena (Papua).
Several personal changes have occurred, the most significant of which were adding an Extension Officer from the Provincial Extension Service who is located in the Arfak villages, and employing an Arfak University student from UNIPA as a liaison officer between the project and local communities. Several other students whose families live in Arfak villages have also been recruited and trained for specific activities.
A workshop on pig production in Eastern Indonesia is planned for July 2010 and will draw participants from NTT, Papua and West Papua, as well as Australia and Laos PDR.
No impacts have yet been generated by the project but it is anticipated that a number of farmers in the Arfak Region will be actively involved in working with the project team to modify both pig production and sweetpotato cultivation in the region by the end of 2010.

This project continues to build on the success of a previous project (AH/1998/054) in upland areas of Papua Province and by transferring much of the technology developed for sweetpotato and pig production to the uplands of West Papua Province.
The project is also expanding the potential to improve cash income from sweetpotatoes and pigs, improve human health and nutrition using higher yielding varieties of sweetpotato with improved storage traits and decreasing the risk of parasitic zoonoses.
A major objective of the project is to enable farmers to diversify their production systems through integration of vegetables and compatible small livestock into the existing systems. This is being made possible through the improvements made in productivity and efficiency of the sweetpotato-pig production system in the current and previous projects.
The value of the project was recognised by Provincial Governments when pig-sweetpotato production was nominated as one of three industries for inclusion in the Livelihood Improvement Project in Papua and West Papua, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). As a result the project was expanded in April 2010 by adding objective 4 which will result in the dissemination of project outcomes to other areas of the Provinces.
The major partners continue to be SARDI, the International Potato Center (CIP) and Center for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Development (ICATAD) [Balai Besar Pengkajian dan Pengembangan Teknologi Pertanian (BBP2TP)] through the Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology (BPTP) in Papua and West Papua Provinces. The University of Papua, CIP, University of Adelaide Food Plus Program and the Research Institute for Legumes and Tubers Crops (RILET Malang) are providing support in sweetpotato (SP) cultivation, nutritional analysis, and storage and processing technology. Further local agronomic support is being provided by BPTP and the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Security Office, West Papua Province (Dinas Pertanian, Peternakan, dan Ketahanan Pangan Papua Barat). SARDI is leading the pig production and health aspects of the project, but expertise and diagnostic technology is being provided by University of Queensland (UQ) and Udayana University (UNUD) in zoonotic parasitology and University of Gajah Mada in microbiology. Timika and Jayawijaya Animal Husbandry Offices in Papua Province and the West Papua Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Security Office along with the Diagnostic Investigation Centre in Maros Sulawesi are providing diagnostic and disease monitoring support. The Manokwari Agricultural Extension Academy (STPP Manokwari), which is part of Kementrian Pertanian (KEMTAN), has been added in 2010 to increase our capacity for developing extension training programs. The project team covers a wide spectrum of scientific, technical and extension expertise across several disciplines in food production and animal production and health.
The main outcome relating to SP production has been the identification of the most productive varieties for the two areas. Pattipy, Salossa and Sawentor from the previous project all performed well and Salossa, Dosak-1 (high-anthocyanin purple flesh) and Worembai were popular for taste. Sukuh had high dry matter content, Ayamurasaki, Solossa, Cangkuang all had high beta carotene content and Cankuang (local) is the best early maturing variety. Warumbai (RILET) scored well and could be released locally. Current activities focus on developing improved cultivation and storage techniques for roots.
The major activities in pig production has been the completion of a pig disease survey, which concentrated on identifying the key pig health problems in the Arfak region, and zoonotic disease in both regions, and working with farmers in the village of Minyambouw to develop a model of the Baliem Valley Pig Confinement Systems (MBVPCS) suitable for this region. As in the Baliem Valley, internal parasites were identified as the major health problem and the presence of Cysticercosis is the major zoonotic risk factor for human health.
Significant capacity building in technology has also occurred. Relevant technology for the diagnosis of Trichinella sp infection in pigs has been transferred from UQ to UNUD and this will be transferred to Maros DIC. Improved techniques for the diagnosis of other parasites are also being transferred from UNUD to Maros DIC and local veterinary clinics.
To enable the project to provide outcomes under the IFAD we have recruited the support of the Manokwari Agricultural Extension Academy which provides technology and extension training in agronomy, livestock production, horticulture and fisheries. Modules of the MBVPCS will be established at the academy as well as at a similar training centre operated by Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) (World Vision Indonesia) near Wamena.
The farmer training material written for project (AH/1998/054) is being modified for use at both training centres as well as the extension service provided from UNIPA.
Dr Sukendra Mahalaya completed his PhD at Adelaide University in July 2010 and returned to the project as Indonesian project coordinator with responsibility for liaising with Indonesian agencies and supervising the project coordinators in Manokwari (West Papua) and Wamena (Papua).
Other changes include the recruitment of an Extension Officer from the Provincial Extension Service who is located in the Arfak villages, and employing an Arfak University student from UNIPA to liaise between the project team and local communities. Several other students whose families live in Arfak villages have also been recruited and trained for specific activities.
A workshop on pig production in Eastern Indonesia was conducted at UNUD in July 2010 and was attended by participants from NTT, Papua and West Papua Provinces, as well as Australia and Laos PDR. The workshop's agreed priorities for extension were nutrition, including diet formulation and feeding techniques for different classes of pigs, reducing pre- and post-weaning mortalities, parasite prevention and control, improving reproduction efficiency, providing adequate cost effective housing using proven design concepts, health control policies (biosecurity and vaccination programs), and marketing concepts.
No real impacts have yet been generated by the project but we now have several farmers with MBVPCS facilities in Arfak and other farmers participating in SP trials. Working with WVI and the Extension Academy is increasing the opportunities for uptake of project outcomes across other Regencies.