Kara carries Scotland to Papua New Guinea

Published on Friday 18 December 2009 22:09

SAC agricultural consultant, Kara Craig, 30, based at Auchincruive, Ayr, has just returned from Papua New Guinea where she has been helping farmers develop their basic farming techniques.

She was part of an international team put together by the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth's Understanding and Assistance Mission. As Scotland's "Next Generation" representative, her trip was funded by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland.

The aim of the mission is for young people to learn more about the agricultural industry and rural scene in under-developed countries within the Commonwealth.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most under-developed countries in the world and Craig found that lack of funding, infrastructure and knowledge transfer were the main stumbling blocks holding back development.

"Although we visited some large-scale commercial palm oil, sugar cane, beef and pig operations, it was very clear that the great bulk of agriculture in the country is small scale with much of it subsistence farming which supports around 80 per cent of agriculture," said Craig.