Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL)

DAL also plans to accelerate this service with the inclusion of Digicel and other mobile networks.

DAL launched the ‘Government Agriculture Price & Market Information Services (GAPMIS)' yesterday. The mobile-enabled service is to access vital and value-added services to the masses in the country.

Secretary for DAL, Dr Nelson Simbiken, shared that realizes the importance of this challenge and has developed GAPMIS to factor these challenges for inclusive agro and economic participation.

He announced that nationwide consultations with all stakeholders to finalise the new National Agriculture Sector Plan will commence on August 7-8, 2023 in Kokopo, East New Britain Province.

Dr Simbiken said this will kick-start direct dialogue with all stakeholders including farmers, capturing essential data from the industry players and all relevant stakeholders to include their inputs and assist complete the final draft report, which will be due following completion of the month-long exercise.

Managing director, Joel Alu, clarified the common misconception, saying NAQIA was established under the ‘National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority Act 1997’.

“We want budget appropriation,” he stated.

“The good thing is that the Medium-Term Development Strategy IV – that was recently launched – captures biosecurity. We are happy that there would be budget appropriation through that document. Before the previous budget policy document, NAQIA was never captured because everybody thought that we were under DAL.

Minister for Agriculture, Aiye Tambua expressed recently that many officers are idle, when they should be more practical. He said they would be more active working in other provinces.

Minister Tambua since assuming the ministry portfolio it is evident the some officers within the department are lazy or idle.

DAL Acting Secretary, Dr Nelson Simbiken made the remarks following a meeting with a visiting delegation from the Agencia Brasilera De Cooperacao (ABC) - Brazilian Cooperation Agency) on Monday 26th of Jun, 2023.

The team comprised Paulo Elias M. De Moraes Minister and Director of the Department of Japan, Korean Peninsula and Pacific (DEJP), Antonio Junqueira ABC Brazil), Daniela de Moraes Aviani – Agriculture Attaché at the Embassy of Brazil in Canberra, Australia and Mariana Siqueira Marton – Second Secretary at the Brazilian Embassy in Australia also.

This was highlighted at the recent launch of the Livestock Development Corporation MOU/MOA signing for downstream processing of livestock.

The signing of the agreements have been moved to a later date.

However, KIK Managing Director Alan Aku attended the event, and enlightened the people of Madang of the benefits this partnership brings.

Mr. Aku strengthened the Madang Governor’s statement to establish downstream processing.

Minister Aiye Tambua said the is government focused on improving individual commodities.

“The government’s aim is to make sure that our people in the village have money in their pockets and give more to the people on the ground. The basic idea is we want buy more and encourage the farmers to plant more,” he stated.

For freight subsidy alone is K30million.

DAL Acting Secretary, Dr. Nelson Simbiken said the audit committee consisted of DAL and its sub-sectors that had been absent for a while.

He said that the committee needed to be back on track and ready to overcome the issues faced and implement the action items.

The committee had its second meet yesterday after the first meet in June this year. The meet was to start fixing issues and focus on good governance, accountability, and receiving returns for rubber, copra, rice etcetera.

DAL Acting Secretary Dr. Nelson Simbiken, spoke about the Marape-Rosso government. One of the key things he raised was Prime Minister, James Marape’s speech on private-public partnership.

He stated that every five year cycle of government policies, DAL is identified and entrained in the Medium Term Development Plan. Dr Simbiken added that he would like to ensure that DAL is in order to ensure the annual work program are being developed and funding is properly used.