# Papua New Guinea agricultural and climate crisis > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/papua-new-guinea-agricultural-and-climate-crisis > Updated: 2026-08-24T23:40:25.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Papua New Guinea is experiencing significant agricultural and resource challenges driven by long-term production declines and climate-related events. For over two decades, the nation has faced a downward trend in agricultural output, moving away from a historical plantation and semi-commercial farming system. While various government and international interventions have been attempted to promote resilience and sustainable practices, the sector remains vulnerable. These vulnerabilities have been intensified by the El Niño weather phase, which has triggered severe droughts and water shortages, particularly in the Central Province and the National Capital District. The drought has caused widespread crop damage, dried up water sources, and led to school closures in some areas. In Port Moresby, infrastructure malfunctions have resulted in frequent water outages, while arid conditions have increased the prevalence of fires. In response to the escalating food and water security crisis, Central Governor Ruffina Peter has allocated 5.3 million kina to assist communities, though she noted that a full-scale response would require approximately 40 million kina. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-24: Papua New Guinea faces drought and water shortages due to El Niño El Niño-induced drought in Papua New Guinea's Central Province and National Capital District is causing crop failure, water shortages, and school closures, prompting calls for increased emergency funding. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/papua-new-guinea-faces-drought-and-water-shortages-due-to-el-nio ### 2026-08-13: Papua New Guinea agriculture faces production decline and climate challenges Papua New Guinea faces declining agricultural output and climate challenges from El Niño, prompting calls for a return to commercial production and sustainable farming practices. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/papua-new-guinea-agriculture-faces-production-decline-and-climate-challenges --- Cite as: Papua New Guinea agricultural and climate crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/papua-new-guinea-agricultural-and-climate-crisis