| Abstract / Content summary |
Small livestock, pig and poultry particularly, have prehistorically been an integral part of human habitation and transmigration. Since small livestock have been associated with humans for centuries, it would be fitting to say that pig and poultry value chains are the oldest livestock value chains.
Pig has been present in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for at least 5,000 years, and the native pig (Sus papuensis) has been an important part of the culture of Papua New Guineans for centuries. However, the daily mean consumption estimates show very low intake. Traditionally, pigs have been central in the social life of PNG communities, where an exchange of pigs is an essential part of almost every major event, from birth through marriage, other social and cultural festivities and death. Pigs also play an important role in meeting social obligations by adding and subtracting social values of an individual. As a result, pigs are representative of the social standing and wealth of a person in traditional PNG society.
Domesticated chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), evolved from the Red Jungle fowl in Asia about 7,000 years ago, have been in PNG from some 2,000-3,000 years ago. They were brought to PNG from South East Asia by Austronesian settlers and are believed to have been associated with the Lapita pottery culture and were distributed throughout the Southwest Pacific. In some societies, chicken was exchanged for sorcery, witchcraft and spiritual healings. In current times, chicken is the most widely available and consumed meat in PNG, with the local demand being met through in-country production and imports from Australia, New Zealand, etc.
Value-chain development is nationally and internationally recognized as an effective approach towards increasing trade efficiencies and optimizing returns to producers through market-oriented interventions. [Introduction] |