8 Signs of “The End Times”: Perspectives on Climate …
147
Results
Observed Changes in Fruit and Vegetable Produce
The majority of participants have observed long-term changes in their produce such
as, size, quality, quantity, taste, colour and smell. These changes were attributed
mainly to rising temperatures by 36% of respondents (Participants 1, 3, 7, 12 & 13).
As one participant said:
…market vendors talk about it together. The quality of the food has changed, and we discuss
this. It’s really hot. (Participant 1)
Another two explained:
…even in the highlands it is becoming hot. It is not affecting cabbage, but it is affecting
broccoli and cauliflower and potato. (Participants 12 & 13)
Warmer temperatures are said to be impeding the growth of taro, greens, bananas and
bok choy in particular. Crops previously only able to be grown in PNG’s coastal areas
(e.g. bananas and peanuts) are now also growing in the Highlands (Participant 5, 12,
13, 11), something attributed to recent warming. Some participants report spending
less time in their gardens due to the increasing daytime heat (Participant 4).
Compounding the impacts of increasing temperatures, some participants have
observed less rainfall (Participants 1, 3, 5), commonly referred to as a “longer dry
season”. As the following quotes illustrate:
…before we had a dry season and then rain. Now there is one day hot but then no rain. We
can’t do gardening because it is too hot. It is a dry season for a whole week and the soil will
break. (Participant 4)
…there is a longer dry season and the sun is really hot. In the dry season, sometimes the
water dries out and it makes life hard. We have to look for water to wash and have to fetch
water for the garden, especially the greens. (Participant 5)
…there is little rainfall and the heat is much more than before. It’s like burning. It was alright
before but now little rain. (Participant 9 & 10)
While less rainfall is thought to be inhibiting the growth of produce in the Madang
low country such as bok choy (Participant 3), two participants from the Highlands
are experiencing too much rain, or continuous rain and then a period of no rain
(Participants 11, 14), which they adjudge a problem. As the following market sellers
explain,
…before there was equal balance between rain and sun and [now] more rain is affecting the
produce. There is more leaf than fruit on the kaukau [sweet potato] and yam. (Participant
11)
…the continuous rain makes it so we don’t harvest properly. It affects how we make gardens…
[There is] not enough sunlight. Continuous rain and then [a] period of no rain. (Participant
14)
147
Results
Observed Changes in Fruit and Vegetable Produce
The majority of participants have observed long-term changes in their produce such
as, size, quality, quantity, taste, colour and smell. These changes were attributed
mainly to rising temperatures by 36% of respondents (Participants 1, 3, 7, 12 & 13).
As one participant said:
…market vendors talk about it together. The quality of the food has changed, and we discuss
this. It’s really hot. (Participant 1)
Another two explained:
…even in the highlands it is becoming hot. It is not affecting cabbage, but it is affecting
broccoli and cauliflower and potato. (Participants 12 & 13)
Warmer temperatures are said to be impeding the growth of taro, greens, bananas and
bok choy in particular. Crops previously only able to be grown in PNG’s coastal areas
(e.g. bananas and peanuts) are now also growing in the Highlands (Participant 5, 12,
13, 11), something attributed to recent warming. Some participants report spending
less time in their gardens due to the increasing daytime heat (Participant 4).
Compounding the impacts of increasing temperatures, some participants have
observed less rainfall (Participants 1, 3, 5), commonly referred to as a “longer dry
season”. As the following quotes illustrate:
…before we had a dry season and then rain. Now there is one day hot but then no rain. We
can’t do gardening because it is too hot. It is a dry season for a whole week and the soil will
break. (Participant 4)
…there is a longer dry season and the sun is really hot. In the dry season, sometimes the
water dries out and it makes life hard. We have to look for water to wash and have to fetch
water for the garden, especially the greens. (Participant 5)
…there is little rainfall and the heat is much more than before. It’s like burning. It was alright
before but now little rain. (Participant 9 & 10)
While less rainfall is thought to be inhibiting the growth of produce in the Madang
low country such as bok choy (Participant 3), two participants from the Highlands
are experiencing too much rain, or continuous rain and then a period of no rain
(Participants 11, 14), which they adjudge a problem. As the following market sellers
explain,
…before there was equal balance between rain and sun and [now] more rain is affecting the
produce. There is more leaf than fruit on the kaukau [sweet potato] and yam. (Participant
11)
…the continuous rain makes it so we don’t harvest properly. It affects how we make gardens…
[There is] not enough sunlight. Continuous rain and then [a] period of no rain. (Participant
14)