Kagua and Erave

Kagua/Erave covers the south eastern tip of Southern Highlands Province and shares the southern border with Central Province, though this area is mostly uninhabited. It encompasses the Valkuru Range and the Kagua, Sugu and Erave Valleys, Kuare valley towards the east.

 

The district member is Mr. James Lagea, a member of the PNG Conservative Party. The previous member was Mr. David Basua. There is high potential for crop cultivation in the upper areas of the district’s valleys. However, potential is poor in the steep slopes of the ranges. There is income from oil royalties available for some communities near Erave but otherwise income, principally from coffee and sale of food, is low in most of the district.

 

Administration

 

District headquarters: Kagua

 

Number of LLGs: 4 - Erave Rural, Kagua Rural,

 

Kuare Rural, Aiya Rural

 

Number of wards: 99

 

Population

 

Total = 54 515 (males = 50.9% & females = 49.1%).

 

Less than 15 years = 23388 (males = 53.0% & females = 47.0%).

 

Between 15-64 years = 29753 (males = 48.8 & females = 51.2%).

 

More than 65 years = 1374 (males = 60.8% & females = 39.2%).

 

Citizen households = 10465

 

Area and population density

 

Area (km²) = 3497

 

Occupied area (km²) = 956

 

Population per km² = 15.6

 

Population per km² of occupied area = 57.0

 

Electoral statistics

 

Eligible voters (2000 Census) = 33821

 

Number of votes cast (2002) = n/a

 

Number of votes cast (2007) = n/a

 

Education

 

Type and number of schools

 

Elementary = 65

 

Community = 10

 

Primary = 17

 

Provincial high school = 4 (Kagua, Katiloma, Erave & Kuare.

 

Vocational = 0

 

Universal basic education

 

indicators

 

Net admission rate = 9.1%b

 

Gross enrolment rate = 47.9%b

 

Net enrolment rate = 35.5%b

 

Literacy rate

 

Male = 27.5%

 

Female = 19.4%

 

TOTAL = 23.5%

 

Health

 

Number and population per officer

 

Medical officers = n/a

 

Nursing officers 19 and one officer caters for every 3377 people.

 

Number and population per facility

 

Health centres 9 and one health centre caters for 7129 people

 

Aid posts 19 and one aidpost caters for 3377 people.

 

Infrastructure

 

Road access

 

A road travels from Erave to Ialibu, which then connects to the Highlands Highway. The people living in the lower Erave Valley are more than one days travel to a

service centre.

 

Economic Activity

 

Top agricultural activities of citizen households

 

Food crops engaged = 77.3  and engaged for cash = 7.3

 

Coffee engaged = 75.7 and engaged for cash = 69.8

 

Livestock engaged = 57.6 and engaged for cash = 6.9

 

Poultry engaged = 5.2 and engaged for cash = 1.4

 

Fishing engaged = 3.7 and engaged for cash = 0.4

 

*of total citizen households