Videos to Enhance Local Vegetable Seed Production Knowledge and Improve Livelihoods for Small-Scale Farmers in Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea, small-scale farmers’ access to good quality vegetable seedsis limited. Major distributors of vegetable seeds often lack adequate quantities of seeds andmany available varieties are not tested under local conditions. To move forward and diversifyproduction, farmers need to understand the best methods for vegetable seed production,saving and storage to sustainably maintain their seed stocks for food and income security.Farmers are now able to access videos and factsheets of simple step-by-step instructionson seed production targeted especially for them, by using smart phones. Smart phones arebecoming increasingly popular among people in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. Videosare an engaging medium for farmers to gain new knowledge. To facilitate development withthis available technology, simple, short video clips emphasizing how to cultivate, harvest,process and store seeds of crops like amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), black nightshade (Solanumspp.), eggplant (Solanum Melongena), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) and tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) were developed and shared with farming communities. The video clips are accessible online and can easily be shared. With access to improved seed production techniques through simple step-by-step videos, farmers will be empowered to sustainably maintain their vegetable seed stocks and improve their livelihoods. This work is integrated into a broader context of efforts to develop vegetable production in Papua New Guinea.