DAL launches project to address value-chain challenges

THE Department of Agriculture and Livestock has launched a PNG agriculture commercialisation and Diversification (PACD) project to address some of the value-chain challenges in the sector.
Department acting secretary Dr Nelson Simbiken said the PACD was designed to address “challenges in these value chains and will implement three inter linked components of institutional capacity building, access through agriculture feeder roads and the productive partnerships”.
“(This is) to achieve the project objectives that will contribute to the government’s overall development goals and for people’s aspirations,” he said.
DAL activities include the review of the National Agricultural Development Plan 2007-2016 to develop the 20-year agriculture sector plan, with the appropriate corporate plan, review of the extension and connectivity, review of the Spice Board Acts, development of livestock policy, including the capacity building of the regional offices, a cadet ship programme and to strengthen monitoring and evaluation and agriculture statistics. The PACD work plan will strengthen building activities for the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) and Cocoa Board.
“The Cocoa Board will have a new office complex and CIC will have some infrastructure and equipment support to execute their responsibility,” Simbiken said.