March 2015: Papua New Guinea deposited the instrument of accession to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR) in February 2015, and will become a Party on 6 May 2015, bringing the number of ITPGR Parties to 135.

Papua New Guinea has a naturally rich diversity of food crop species and wild plant relatives. It is considered one of the “last frontiers” of natural diversity, both in terms of native flora and fauna and in terms of a place where indigenous people still hunt and gather their food and other basic needs from their wild natural habitats. In addition, the country has a broad genetic base of food crops that provides for tolerance against major pests and diseases, including sweet potato, taro, banana, yam, cassava and aibika. [ITPGR Press Release][ITPGR Parties]