Papua New Guinea has a rich variety of plants and animals, but its farming, especially in the Eastern Highlands where a key crop called kaukau is grown, is at risk from climate changes, as kaukau is vital for local diets and culture, providing most people's daily food and being tied to local farming traditions.
Context of the Research & Background on Kaukau in PNG
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is recognized as one of the most biodiverse nations on Earth, yet its agricultural sector, predominantly based on subsistence farming, remains highly vulnerable to environmental fluctuations (Papua New Guinea, 2017). In the Eastern Highlands Province, traditional farming systems are complicatedly linked to predictable seasonal patterns, upon which crop cycles and food availability directly depend. Goroka, as the provincial capital, represents a significant agricultural hub where a wide array of kaukau species, each with unique characteristics and vulnerabilities, are cultivated across varying altitudes and microclimates. Kaukau is not merely a crop in PNG; it is a cultural cornerstone, providing over 70% of the daily caloric intake for many highland populations and forming the basis of traditional exchange systems. Its cultivation methods, often relying on traditional knowledge and rain-fed systems, make it exceptionally sensitive to deviations from historical climatic norms. Pick out the main points and put it in one sentence using simple English terms
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