Papua New Guinea has taken a decisive step toward reorienting its national development strategy by placing agriculture and rural transformation at the core of its economic agenda. On 14 July, the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) and the Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM) convened a High-Level Government Round-Table Meeting in Port Moresby under the theme “Service Delivery and Productive Partnerships for Integrated Agriculture, Rural and Regional Development.”
This event follows the National Agriculture Industry Public–Private Sector Partnership (NAIPPSP) Conference held earlier this year in Lae—both forming part of the flagship implementation agenda under the National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP) 2024–2033, a 10-year strategic blueprint to drive structural reform in one of PNG’s most underleveraged sectors.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Chief Secretary to Government, Secretary for National Planning Koney Samuel delivered a candid assessment of PNG’s missed opportunities and urgent potential in the agriculture space.
“Now is the time for us to have the real hard conversations about these transformations,” Samuel stated. “Now is the time for us to act boldly and decisively if we seriously need to transform this country.”
From Policy Rhetoric to Action
The round-table was more than another bureaucratic forum—it marked the launch of a Whole-of-Government Coordination Mechanism, aimed at breaking down institutional silos and fostering inter-agency collaboration. The mechanism seeks to align sectoral mandates and pool resources across infrastructure, health, education, transport, and agribusiness to deliver integrated rural development.
Samuel was unequivocal in his call for action. “We are a nation of immense potential,” he said, noting that agriculture must no longer be treated as peripheral. “Our fertile soils, rich biodiversity, and resilient people are the foundation of our future prosperity. Yet for too long, our agricultural sector has been underutilised, our rural communities underserved, and our economy over-reliant on extractive industries. Today, we declare: Enough.”
His remarks reflected a growing consensus within government: that agriculture represents both an economic and social opportunity—not only to diversify exports, but also to reduce rural poverty, boost food security, and address inequality.
Mobilising Capital and Capacity
With over 2.5 million hectares of arable land—and less than 5% currently under cultivation—PNG’s agriculture sector is a sleeping giant. Samuel highlighted how strategic import substitution could generate direct economic returns, using meat imports as an example. “If we replace just 50% of our K500 million annual meat import bill with local production, we inject K250 million into our economy each year.”
The government will now identify five high-impact agricultural and livestock investments over the next five years, to be financed through public funds and private sector partnerships. These anchor projects are designed to unlock productivity, generate rural employment, and stimulate downstream industries.
This approach signals a pivot toward private sector–driven growth, a departure from the state-led models that have dominated PNG’s agriculture policy in previous decades. However, success will hinge on the government’s ability to de-risk investment, resolve land tenure complexities, and deliver enabling infrastructure—tasks that have historically proven difficult.
Strategic Alignment with National Plans
The agricultural transformation agenda is underpinned by PNG’s long-term policy architecture, including Vision 2050, the Development Strategic Plan 2030, and the Medium-Term Development Plan IV (2023–2027). The NASP 2024–2033 serves as the operational instrument for agricultural policy delivery.
Crucially, the new Whole-of-Government mechanism is designed to align development objectives across line agencies and subnational governments—bridging the gap between central policy ambitions and local-level execution. This is especially important in rural areas, where service delivery continues to be hampered by fragmented coordination and logistical challenges.
Beyond Agriculture: A Rural Development Agenda
While agriculture is the entry point, the government’s ambitions are broader—rural development is the endgame. This means upgrading rural roads, expanding access to energy and clean water, and improving healthcare and education outcomes in the provinces. The Round-Table Meeting recognised that sectoral reforms must be embedded within an ecosystem of supportive services.
The political context also matters. As PNG prepares to celebrate 50 years of independence, the Marape Government is under pressure to deliver tangible results. Elevating agriculture—and by extension, rural development—offers a high-impact, high-visibility pathway to drive inclusive growth and social equity.
If effectively implemented, the strategies launched this month could mark a turning point in Papua New Guinea’s development narrative. But execution, as always, will be the ultimate test.