Prime Minister James Marape emphasized the significant role of the agriculture sector in achieving economic milestones as outlined in the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) IV for 2023-2027. He said this during the two-day Department of Agriculture and Subsector Agencies Meeting held in Port Moresby recently.
The two-day meeting was attended by key figures including Agriculture Minister John Boito, Oil Palm Minister Francis Maneke, and Agriculture Secretary Dr Sergie Bang, alongside leaders from various agricultural commodity boards.
Prime Minister Marape conveyed the sector’s critical economic targets and further challenges the heads of agencies to perform and meet the targets.
“You have a sectoral target of K30 billion to the growth of our economy by 2027, in line with MTDP IV.
“If in four years, you have not contributed to growing the economy by K30 billion, then you have wasted Papua New Guinea’s time and the occupation you are holding today.”
The Prime Minister underscored the potential for agricultural activities to help create up to one million jobs by 2027.
“Agriculture can mobilize the one million people envisaged by MTDP IV in pursuing economic activities.
“The Western mindset of creating jobs is someone in a paid designation. Papua New Guinea’s mindset, especially my government’s mindset, is creating economic activities,” Marape stated.
Asserting the agriculture sector’s pivotal role in national development, Prime Minister Marape expressed his expectations, “By the end of this year, I’ll be asking all of you to give me statistics of how much you have produced in your sector.”
