PRIME Minister Hon. James Marape today issued a powerful call to action for Papua New Guinea to transform its agriculture sector through unified public-private partnerships, during the official opening of the National Agriculture Industry Public–Private Sector Partnership Conference in Lae.
The five-day conference, which runs from 7–11 April 2025, brings together government officials, provincial leaders, industry executives, landowner representatives, international development partners, and financial institutions. Under the theme “Achieving Our Goals: Public and Private Sector Partnerships to Leverage Investment, Land, and Resources for
Implementing the NASP 2024–2033”, the conference aims to accelerate the implementation of PNG’s National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP) 2024–2033.
In his address, Prime Minister Marape said agriculture is no longer just a sector—it is the foundation for national survival, self-reliance, and long-term prosperity.
“I am not a prophet, but I can see that food and water will be the biggest global challenges ahead—bigger than oil, gas, or gold,” he said.
“PNG must wake up and realise that agriculture is our biggest untapped wealth.”
He emphasised that while global conversations focus on climate change, food insecurity is emerging as a pressing challenge, especially for highly populated neighboring nations like China, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
“When climate change disrupts global rice or wheat production, PNG must be ready to feed ourselves and supply our region,” he said.
The Prime Minister outlined his vision to migrate one million households from subsistence living into commercial agriculture, leveraging PNG’s 97% customary land ownership and year-round sunshine.
“If my mother could earn K10,000 annually selling cabbage at Tari Market in the 1980s, then in today’s K120 billion economy, one million rural families can do the same or more,” he said.
“That’s K10 billion in grassroots income.”
He argued that agriculture is not only key to import replacement but also a major export driver, highlighting PNG’s coffee, cocoa, copra, palm oil, livestock, and horticulture potential.
Prime Minister Marape challenged the private sector, provincial governments, and policymakers to turn rhetoric into results by creating practical partnerships to unlock land, improve access to finance, and streamline regulations.
“Policy alone in Waigani won’t grow food or create exports,” he said.
“We need landowners, provinces, businesses, and government working together with one aim— productivity.”
He cited the recent K1 billion investments by Goodman Fielder and Wilmar International in flour, meat, and rice production as a model of successful partnership.
“We welcome more investors like Goodman Fielder, Wilmar, Ramu Agri, Mainland Holdings and others. But let my people come with you—landowners, provincial governments, and local businesses must share in the value chain.”
He urged all stakeholders to study and utilise the new incentives in the Income Tax Act, particularly those that favour rural and agriculture-based investments.
Addressing provincial governors directly, Prime Minister Marape called on them to mobilise customary land for agriculture and development, using the government’s ongoing land mobilisation funds, which have been budgeted at K200 million annually since 2020.
“Don’t just aim to be Prime Minister. Unlock land for your people. Empower them to grow, earn, and thrive,” he said.
He reminded leaders that the government has already provided free education, health services, and infrastructure—now it’s time for provinces to lead in land reform and investment facilitation.
The Prime Minister also linked Connect PNG and major infrastructure investments—including roads, ports, and electricity—to the agriculture agenda.“These roads are not a scam. They lead to your land. They must lead to productivity,” he said. “Lae Port, Madang Port, Port Moresby—these must become export ports. Not just gateways for imports.”
Placing PNG in the Asian Century
The Prime Minister placed Papua New Guinea in the wider context of shifting global economic power.
“The 18th and 19th centuries were the centuries of Europe. The 20th century was the American century. In my view, the 21st century will be the Asian century,” he said.
“Papua New Guinea, at the crossroads of Asia and the Pacific, is ideally positioned to benefit from this shift. Our growing ties with ASEAN, our proximity to Asia, and our unique Pacific identity place us in the perfect location to export high-value agricultural products to over four billion consumers.”
He stressed that agriculture offers both intrinsic national benefit and regional opportunity— reducing reliance on imported food while earning export revenue from the region.
“This is PNG’s moment. We are on the cusp of a global power shift. If the 20th century was about oil and gas, the 21st century is about food. PNG can be Asia’s food basket,” he said.
He pointed to New Zealand as a case study—an agricultural nation with a $300 billion economy—urging PNG to follow suit, not by copying others but by building on its own strengths.
“Let’s not just talk. Let’s plant, harvest, process, and export. Let agriculture be our legacy at 50 years of independence and our foundation for the next 50.”