Thecla Nawai Guaf

* Initiate, develop, implement and monitor annual plant health work programme in the New Guinea Island region in consistent with NAQIA’s strategic objectives and functions of Plant Health Section.

* Investigate and advise the Chief Plant Protection Officer on status of plant pests of economic importance in the region and country.

* Provide plant pests diagnostic and advisory service to clients on plant pests in the region and country including those intercepted at ports.

* Investigate plant pests outbreaks or incursions and develop containment plans to contain and eradicate the pests.

* Carry out pest surveillance and monitoring of specific regulated plant pests and general plant pests in the region and country. Submit travel reports promptly.

* Assist and/or carry out pest risk assessment (PRA) on imported plants and their products and, biological agents or beneficial organisms particularly related to risk management of quarantine or regulated plant pests.

*To prepare reports on work undertaken and this include monthly and annual reports, and travel reports.

• Wrote research papers, reports and summaries findings regarding the Pests and Diseases of Sweetpotato in the highlands of Papua New Guinea
• Performed research into study topics to increase knowledge and to provide valuable contributions.
• Performed evaluations of sweetpotato varieties' experiments and research and documented findings.
• Researched health and disease prevention infrastructures and models and developed, tested and marketed high yielding and pests and disease tolerance sweet potato varities for small hold farmers drugs.

• Helped team meet regulatory requirements by coordinating documentation and filings.
• Gathered, arranged and corrected research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations.
• Streamlined research processes to meet tight deadlines for multiple projects.
• Collaborated with leadership team to identify relevant questions and determine best methods of collection.
• Establish research experimental trials in the areas of plant protection of taro beetle project

• Planned, modified and executed research techniques, procedures and tests.
• Gathered, arranged and corrected research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations.
• Conducted tests on equipment and instruments for quality.
• Generated data models and performed analysis to produce reports outlining results.
• Mass propagated biocontrol agents, Metarhizium anisopliae fungus against coconut rhinoceros beetle and taro beetle.
• Established field trials against Black weevils using synthetic pheromones.