Information and data can create opportunities to develop and drive the agriculture sector forward.
Director General Dr Nelson Simbiken expressed this during the first of the Agriculture Minister’s Seminar Series to welcome participating stakeholders from the private and public sector on May 10.
The seminar is the start of realising the much discussed aspirations and plans by creating dialogue, having relevant information and data to guide sector agencies that can contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic development.
He expressed that commercial farming requires working closely with people who are connected to their indigenous crops and that is a starting point to ensure they take ownership in agricultural commercialisation.
NARI believes that indigenous food crops can find their place in the commercial agriculture space and closely align such initiatives to the national government’s developments aspiration.
“We should start thinking critically to lead our people into a system that they are part of our nationhood so that our true Papua New Guinean goals of being a,Smart, Wise and Healthy nation can be achieved by 2050,” expressed Dr Simbiken.
Meantime the annual Agricultural Innovation Show 2024, went ahead as planned despite continued rain, which did not dampen the spirit of NARI staff who prepared tirelessly to ensure the two-days including the Agriculture Minister’s Seminar series progressed as planned.
This year’s theme is “ Commercialising the PNG Agrifood System “ and was made possible through the sponsorship of Zenag, Trukai, Farmset Limited and the International Cooperation for Development Fund for their generous support in making the this year’s event a success.
Caption: Some of the workshop participants are gathered together, actively engaging in a lively discussion.
