Frost, Drought and El Niño: Daily Life in PNG Villages at Risk

Anthony Morant, a resident of Kosipe in the Goilala district of Central Province, says that nightly frost followed by strong morning sunshine has wiped out the village’s food gardens. "The frost continues to fall every night," he told reporters, adding that the sun then burns the remaining crops.

In Upper Mendi, Southern Highlands, El Niño conditions have destroyed taro, sweet potato, banana and sugar‑cane crops, leaving farmers with little to harvest this season.

Across Papua New Guinea, people report shrinking rivers, shortages of drinking water and food, and teachers abandoning classrooms to look for food for their families.

Authorities warn that failed crops could spark social unrest; police have been told to watch for rising crime, and the government has set aside an extra 500 million kina for the El Niño response.

Kachen Wongsathapornchai of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says this could become one of the strongest El Niño events on record. The Bureau of Meteorology notes Pacific Ocean temperatures may rise beyond any level recorded since 1950, intensifying the drought and frost.

The combined impact threatens food security, clean water, education and community stability. If crops continue to fail, families may face hunger, children could miss school, and tensions over scarce resources could turn into conflict.

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Frost, Drought and El Niño: Daily Life in PNG Villages at Risk

Frost, Drought and El Niño: Daily Life in PNG Villages at Risk

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