By DALCY LULUA
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, John Boito, has challenged the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) to ensure its newly launched Corporate Plan 2024–2028 delivers tangible results for Papua New Guineans.
Speaking at the official launching of the plan, Minister Boito said the document must not remain another “well-written plan” but must instead drive impact and transformation across the agriculture and livestock sector.
“This Corporate Plan must be about results. It must be performance-driven. It must create impact that our people can see, touch, and feel,” he stressed.
Mr Boito said the plan is aligned with the National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP 2024–2033), which itself is drawn from the Medium-Term Development Plan IV (MTDP IV), all working towards the country’s long-term development blueprint, Vision 2050.
He emphasized that rural communities, farmers, women, and youths must directly benefit from the outcomes of the plan. “The time for writing plans has passed-the time for implementation and results is now,” he added.
The Minister highlighted the government’s target of creating one million agriculture-based MSMEs and SMEs employment, moving backyard gardeners into formal
entrepreneurs, semi-commercial operators, and eventually fully-fledged agribusinesses.
Mr Boito said the future of PNG agriculture lies in large-scale commercial farming, integrated value chains, and downstream processing-key to reducing imports, increasing production, and adding value to exports.
“Government alone cannot achieve transformation. We need strong partnerships with farmers, growers, exporters, processors, SMEs, and investors.”
He drew parallels with countries like China, New Zealand, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand, which have successfully modernized agriculture, created jobs, and lifted millions of people out of poverty. “If they can do it, Papua New Guinea can do it too,” he said.
The Corporate Plan 2024–2028, he said, provides the immediate steps needed to achieve NASP’s long-term vision, by guiding investment priorities, aligning stakeholders, strengthening institutions, and driving measurable results at the community level.
Minister Boito reaffirmed his commitment to work with the department, private sector, and community stakeholders to deliver results that matter for citizens.
“This Corporate Plan must become the engine that transforms agriculture and livestock from a struggling sector into a growth powerhouse, driving food security, job creation, and rural development,” he said.
He concluded by challenging DAL to ensure that by 2028 Papua New Guineans can look back and say:
- Imports were reduced,
- SMEs were strengthened,
- Local production increased, and
- Real opportunities created for people.
The Corporate Plan 2024–2028 was then officially launched by Minister Boito.