Master of Agricultural Science
University of Queensland, QLD
Prior to her studies, Philmah worked as the leading implementing scientist of agronomy trials at the National Agricultural Research Institute in Papua New Guinea (PNG). In her roles, she was responsible for promoting traditional vegetable production and consumption for improved livelihoods in PNG and northern Australia; increasing vegetable production in PNG’s Central Province for Port Moresby markets; examining women's business acumen in PNG and working with women smallholders in horticulture.
She led a European Union (EU) trial that examined enhanced food security through genetic diversity of aibika and sweet potato in PNG and Solomon Islands, and she worked on an agricultural technologies EU trial, to mitigate climate-change imposed risks to food production within Western Pacific smallholder farming communities.
Philmah is concerned that agriculture is too easily considered a rural exercise only and that Papua New Guineans do not realise its importance as an enterprise. She would like to work with people to highlight the importance of agricultural enterprise and to encourage them to start looking after their own livelihoods and building businesses around agriculture. In turn, this will encourage government to invest in and bring basic services to the area.
