New product development for Papua New Guinea Balsa to improve smallholder livelihoods

The Papua New Guinea balsa wood industry currently has an over-supply of balsa due to an under-demand in global commercial markets. Many smallholders rely on balsa cultivation for financial return to support their livelihoods, family and community. A new commercial application was developed using a research-led industrial design practice process to generate a product design solution in order to demonstrate innovative ways of utilising balsa in new and existing industries to rectify the current over-supply and under-demand. The product outcome was as an exemplar product that embedded and communicated new knowledge to the field of industrial design research and practice.