The National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP) 2024 to 2033 aims to provide a strategic direction for the agriculture sector in Papua New Guinea by outlining the priorities, strategies, and actions needed to achieve sustainable agriculture development, food security and nutrition, poverty alleviation, and rural development.
This was affirmed by the Minister for Oil Palm, Francis Maneke.
He said the plan will focus on improving production and productivity, promoting research and development, and addressing climate change and environmental sustainability among others.
The minister said that recognizing the importance of the agriculture sector, the current government has made agriculture a top Deliberate Intervention Program, in the Medium Term Development Plan 4, for 2023 to 2027.
“The NASP 2024 to 2033 will provide a comprehensive roadmap that will guide the implementation of the MTDP4 aiming to increase production and export revenues, reduce food imports, improve farmers’ income, enhance food and nutrition security, and alleviate poverty,” Maneke said.
“The NASP will also play a crucial role in contributing to the government’s goal of growing the Papua New Guinea economy to K200 billion by 2030, as outlined in the (MTDP4) 2023 to 2027,” he added.
The Oil Palm Minister expressed that this is why it is important that the NASP be aligned to or capture the strategies outlined by the MTDP4 such as downstream processing of natural resources, value-added manufacturing, strategic trade investment, connected infrastructure, and MSME expansion.
“By providing a detailed roadmap for the implementation of the MTDP4, the NASP will contribute to increasing agriculture export revenues and volumes, that is projected to increase by 58% and 56% respectively by 2027,” he said.
“Additionally, it aims to boost the agriculture GDP to 31.7%, further strengthening the sector’s contribution to the overall economy,” he added.
With the NASP in place, Papua New Guinea can harness the potential of its agriculture sector, capitalize on its natural resources, and create sustainable economic growth and prosperity for its people.
This was expressed by Minister Francis Maneke following the launch of the NGI Regional consultative workshop for the development of the NASP, in Kokopo, set for the 7th to the 8th of August, this year, organized by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the National Research Institute.
