By Gladys Kila
In a ground-breaking development for the agricultural sector of Sepik, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, has paved the way for lead farmers, agribusiness entrepreneurs, and MSMEs owners in the region to make significant strides in overcoming digital barriers.
Historically, the Sepik agripreneurs faced pressing challenges due to inadequate access to reliable transportation, digital connectivity, ICT skills, and exposure to broader markets.
These limitations severely restricted their ability to engage with potential buyers and access premium markets, thereby impacting their economic gains and overall well-being.
The transformative support provided by the ITU has been instrumental in bringing this gap.
By focusing on capacity building in digital skills, digital financial literacy, e-agriculture, and e-commerce, the initiative recently trained 335 participants, equipping them with the knowledge, tools and technology necessary to elevate their agrifood production, processing, and business management practices.
A pre-survey revealed that prior to the training, exposure to online tools among participants was minimal.
