The International Labour Organization, (ILO) as part of the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, is on a roll to improve selected farm-to-market access roads in the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea.
This is being done to enable the sustainable growth of agribusiness activities in Cocoa, Vanilla, and Fisheries value chains and open up the vast rural economy for broader social and economic benefits.
In its latest effort, ILO, in February of this year, started the rehabilitation work on three roads totaling 38.08 km in three districts of East and West Sepik provinces. Once the rehabilitation of these roads is completed, it will benefit over 46,500 villagers living in the implementing zones – who are mostly cocoa, vanilla, and inland fish farmers – with easy access to market their produce.
The roads will also open up access to many public facilities like elementary and primary schools, health posts, higher educational institutions, banking services and other community service centres.
As the first of the three roads, in Nuku District of West Sepik Province, a 15.8 km Walkasa- Maimai Wanwan road is being rehabilitated to connect two areas with high agricultural production, namely Maimai Wanwan Local Level Government (LLG) and Nuku Central LLG.
The total population in the two LLGs benefiting from this intervention is more than 16,000 people. In terms of cocoa production, the combined Local Level Governments (LLGs) have 2,600 farmers who own
more than 700,000 cocoa trees, seven cocoa fermentaries, and eight cocoa nurseries that are located along the road.
Vanilla production in the two LLGs is estimated at 17,000 tonnes annually and is expected to increase once market access is improved. With regard to fisheries value chain, the two LLGs are host to 672 inland-fish farmers within 22 groups operating 824 fish ponds. The road will also provide easy access to 10 elementary and primary schools.
In Ambunti-Drekikier District of East Sepik Province, a 14.8 km Nanaha – Tau road is under rehabilitation and shall serve over 30,000 people belonging to 8,365 households in the Drekikier and Kawanga LLGs. The road will also service Drekikier High School.
The 7.43 km Yawasoro - Niengwanjie ring road in Wewak District, East Sepik Province, is also under rehabilitation by ILO. It will benefit over 500 villagers/farmers, 345 households and 173 cocoa fermentaries. This is the first major road rehabilitation for the community after more than two decades.
The road will connect to a 6 km Yarapi-Suambukau road.At the ground-breaking ceremonies, Patu Jume Shang, FAO Gender and Youth Inclusion Specialist, reiterated the need for collaboration between the beneficiary populations and the contractors in order for the works to go without hitches and be completed on time. She also emphasized the need for ownership and sustainability and called on the beneficiary communities to organise and mobilise themselves to ensure constant community mobilisation for the maintenance of these roads to avoid premature depreciation.
“This is a unique opportunity, and we do not have to wait for the road to go very bad before we start fixing it. Whatever is being done here today by the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, keep it up to ensure that you enjoy good quality roads for a long time,” said Shang.