Papua New Guinea faces severe food shortages as El Niño brings frost and drought

Parts of Papua New Guinea are fearing food shortages as El Niño brings frost and drought. Photograph: Annette Ruzicka/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Parts of Papua New Guinea are fearing food shortages as El Niño brings frost and drought. Photograph: Annette Ruzicka/The Guardian Papua New Guinea faces severe food shortages as El Niño brings frost and drought Oxfam predicts PNG will be worst-hit country in Pacific from the weather pattern, with up to 3 million people affected nationwide Families across Papua New Guinea’s Highlands are facing depleted harvests and the threat of hunger after the El Niño weather pattern brought frost and prolonged dry conditions that have destroyed food gardens providing sustenance and income for thousands of households. The effects of El Niño emerged in recent weeks, bringing drought conditions, falling water levels and frost that are threatening food security in some of the country’s most agriculturally productive regions. El Niño is back with a vengeance – and fears of ‘Godzilla’ strength may be the least of our worries Read more According to Oxfam PNG, Papua New Guinea is currently the Pacific’s worst-hit country from the impacts of El Niño. The aid agency said rainfall had been below average for almost a year and, combined with frost in the Highlands and invasive pests, had destroyed crops and livestock. Oxfam PNG estimates that up to 3 million people could be affected nationwide, including a projected 1.9 million in the Highlands region. Communities that rely heavily on farming are already experiencing severe food shortages, with some reporting that food supplies may last only two to three months. The agency warned that households forced to reduce meals and eat less variety are at increased risk of malnutrition. Papua New Guinea’s National Weather Service says El Niño is causing severe drought and damaging frost by shifting rainfall away from the country and reducing moisture levels. The lack of cloud cover allows heat to escape rapidly at night, causing temperatures in the Highlands to drop below freezing and triggering frosts that can destroy crops. In Tambul, Western Highlands province, farmer John Wankar woke last week to find his food garden covered in frost, with vegetables and staple crops damaged. Wankar said his family relied entirely on the garden for food and income and now faced uncertainty about how they would survive in the coming weeks. In Chimbu’s Kundiawa-Gembogl district, 62-year-old Martha John described a similar experience after frost swept through her community. View image in fullscreen Plants in Tambul a few days after frost hit. Photograph: Ezzie Boiwie “Last week Wednesday, all our gardens were covered in frost,” she said. “We wept, as these gardens are not only for us to eat but also our income. We have been growing potato and selling them in bulks, and all my children and grandchildren depend on this food for eating and also for income.” The worsening conditions are also affect