The first phase of this project was to document yields, disease losses and farmer skills and attitudes to disease management. The startup workshop held in Kervat in November 2005 attracted interest from cocoa stakeholders throughout PNG and Bougainville and enabled consultation with industry and almost 300 smallholders. Another workshop is now planned for Madang, and government agencies in Bougainville and New Ireland have expressed interest in holding workshops/field training days in association with agricultural field days later in 2006. The November 2005 workshop stimulated animated and extensive discussion of issues facing the industry. These issues are captured in the rapporteur's report which is included in an amended version of the Workshop Manual submitted with this Progress Report.

More specific and targeted collection of baseline data is underway in East New Britain, Madang, West New Britain and Bougainville. The baseline survey questionnaire has been finalised, with input from George Curry and Gina Koczberski (ASEM /2002/014), and information is now being collected prior to establishment of on-farm and PAR trials. John Konam and his team have discovered that it is more effective to spend time (up to several days) in the villages to discuss issues with the farmers rather than just running through the list of questions in the survey. Training of extension staff is proceeding in three key directions: (1) The current generation of extension officers will be involved in the establishment of IDM demo plots and PAR trials. A training program, beginning in April 2006, has been developed for extension and other interested staff at CCI-Tavilo and SRS-Madang. Twelve extension officers and seven other staff including the CEO are participating at CCI-Tavilo and another 12 staff will participate in Madang. The approach is "cocoa in the classroom" hand-on. The participants will be taught through the establishment of the demo plots and PAR trials in this project. Participants will learn by assisting the project team in activities including pruning and removing diseased pods as outlined in the management options schedule (this can be found in the November Workshop Manual). Participants will be assessed based on attendance, participation and improved understanding. (2) Regional extension staff and model farmers will be trained through establishment of demo plots in selected villages. The trained farmers will share their knowledge with other farmers in their village in an "apostledisciple" style system. One farmer (apostle) will train 12 neighbouring farmers (disciples). An example of this was seen at Tinputz on Bougainville where Joseph Toumo (who attended the November workshop) has already implemented new management options in his cocoa block and has at least 12 farmers in his group who regularly come together and discuss their cocoa block management. The neighbouring farmers have introduced the new techniques into their own blocks, based on what Joseph has taught them. Sites have been selected around Madang, ENB, WNB and Bougainville for the establishment of demo plots and PAR trials. Farmers that will participate in the project as model farmers have also been identified. (3) The future generation of extension officers will be trained through UniTech Lae and other universities.

Following the startup workshop in November several farmers have already implemented management options presented. Many of these farmers have opted for the higher management options. Early observations suggest that these farmers have a reduction in disease incidence. The next harvest will provide an indication of any effect on cocoa yield. Such results are also attracting the interest of farmers who were previously sceptical of the new management ideas. Research and development pathological capabilities have been boosted through the relocation of Mr Yak Namaliu from Kerevat to Madang to establish as cocoa research base at SRS Madang. Mr Namaliu is leading the Madang section of the project through the coordination and establishment of demo plots and PAR trials and extension of cocoa disease management. CCI has contributed to the cost of a vehicle for him to conduct work on this project. Research capabilities at CCI-Kerevat have been strengthened through the purchase of two vehicles, one in ENBP and the second in Madang. GPS instruments were purchased to enable the location of field sites to be recorded and mapped. A research microscope was been purchased to replace the current inverted system at CCI-Tavilo. This will enable Josephine Saul (currently completing her PhD in Sydney) to conduct some of her research in PNG. Josephine uses a similar system in Sydney and will be able to assist local staff with use of the new equipment.

This project facilitates farmer adoption of new management strategies among cocoa smallholder farmers through on-farm participatory action research (PAR) and village-based extension. In March 2006, the destructive Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB; Conopomorpha crameriella) was found in East New Britain Province (ENBP). A national state of emergency was declared by the PNG government resulting in a large scale monitoring and eradication program. Dr Konam was made Chairman and Technical Leader of the CPB eradication program, and all Plant Pathology staff involved in the project were seconded to the operation. Despite the significant disruption caused by the CPB to this project, project activities and outcomes continued where possible.

The baseline farmer surveys in ENBP and Madang Province (MP) have been completed. The surveys in North Solomons Province (NSP) will be finalised by April 2007. They were delayed as a result of the CPB incursion. Farmers have shown significant interest in the new management options. Initial indications suggest that many farmers are adopting the new options, particularly when they see the impact of the management changes. Farmers are learning to keep records of the yield and disease levels in their cocoa blocks. Through the process of farmer training, project staff are also learning more effective methods of surveying and extending the management options to farmers.

Adoption of management options is being promoted using an on-farm PAR-based approach. Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) PAR demonstration plots have been established at Kareeba, Bitagalip and Tokiala in ENBP. Farmers from neighbouring villages, not directly involved in the project, are implementing the new options in their own plots, with no direct input from CCI project staff. The transfer of information has been through farmer-farmer communication, particularly where positive outcomes in yield and disease management have been demonstrated. In MP, IPDM PAR plots have been set up at Saidor, SRS-Madang and on Kar Kar Island. Monitoring of these sites for disease incidence and yield will begin in March 2007. IPDM demonstration plots in NSP are planned for Buka, Arawa and Tinputz. Mr Paul N'nelau of CCI-Buka travelled to ENB in March 2006 to be trained in conducting baseline surveys and in implementing the IPDM options in cocoa gardens. Staff from CCI-Kerevat will travel to NSP March 2007 to complete the baseline surveys, train extension officers and to establish the PAR trial sites.

In July 2006, a field day was held in Garus near Madang to demonstrate the IPDM options to cocoa growers. Farmers were lead through the IPDM options and the benefits of these options, disease management and improved yields were discussed. Industry service providers displayed additional information. Approximately 400-500 farmers participated, indicating the high level of interest raised by the new management options.

A training course for extension staff at CCI-Kerevat, postponed as a result of CPB, is scheduled to resume in April 2007. A total of 132 farmers and 6 extension staff have participated in a training school in ENBP to promote the new options. In MP, more than the expected number of model farmers have been trained. These farmers train and foster the adoption of improvements in other cocoa gardens in their village.

Mini-field days, or "awareness days", have been held in MP and ENBP to extend the IPDM options. In MP a laborer is being trained as 'village cocoa protectionist' to coordinate field days, baseline surveys and IPDM demonstration plots under supervision from Yak Namaliu (cocoa pathologist in Madang). A CCI-ISD extension officer based on Kar Kar Island is being trained in IPDM technologies through PAR. In MP, PAR "outreach" groups have been established to implement IPDM options outside the direct control of the project.

A training manual booklet outlining IPDM options has been produced and distributed to extension staff and farmers. The manual has been given to colleagues in other cocoa growing countries including Vietnam and Indonesia.

To promote training of future cocoa industry extension personnel and adoption of new technologies in the cocoa industry, UniTech-Lae is revising its Perennial Crop Production curriculum. Technical notes and information on cocoa pathology and entomology were provided by CCI Plant Pathology staff. UniTech has established the four IPDM options to train fourth year undergraduate students. All graduates will be experienced in all levels of the IPDM options presented to farmers.

The discovery of CPB presented the opportunity to test the IPDM options developed in this project against CPB in the coming years. In November 2006 a workshop organised by CCI-PNG was held to discuss current and future management recommendations for CPB in PNG.