The Agriculture sector has been promised priority funding from government, with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill re-emphasising the government’s focus on agriculture in the Second Alotau Accord.
Speaking at the opening of the Inaugural National Agriculture Summit in Port Moresby on Monday, Prime Minister O’Neill acknowledged the mistakes of past governments, whilst also calling for closer collaboration between the public and private sector during this term of government.
O’Neill alluded to the Second Alotau Accord, which recognised the need to remove impediments within agriculture – especially with more than 80% of Papua New Guineans directly reliant on agriculture.
For Agriculture & Livestock Minister, Benny Allen, this Summit was an indication of the government’s commitment to fulfilling the Second Alotau Accord – a demonstration of the government’s willingness to listen, and work together with the private sector.
This inaugural event had been organised with the view to get input from the private sector – particularly given that private enterprise continued to be the driving force within agriculture.
And for the largest rice company in PNG, Trukai Industries Ltd, its CEO was optimistic that this step by government to engage more with the private sector was a step in the right direction for the future of agriculture in Papua New Guinea.
