“There is hope on the horizon,” DAL Secretary Dr Sergie Bang

Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Dr Sergie Bang speaking with hope for the new year. (NBC: Charles Yapumi)

Agriculture is one of the sectors under the economic growth sector that will share the Billion-Kina funding in the 2024 National Budget.

And recently appointed Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Dr Sergie Bang is full of confidence for the new year.  

Dr Sergie's Christmas message to subsistence, small holder and commercial farming companies, “there is hope on the horizon.”

He said the government of PNG has placed emphasis on agriculture commercialization in moving our subsistence farmers to commercial entrepreneurship and commercial agriculture.   

“So there lays the hope for the future. The government has lifted funding to the agriculture sector by four times, and this money in any one year this sector has not seen since independence.”

Dr Sergie said the establishment of the National Agriculture Plan Secretariat and agriculture investment fund will be a driving force to meet the national government agenda.

Passed in November, the 2024 National Budget, with the theme “Securing our Future.”

Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey has flagged this budget as an economic growth budget that dramatically increases investment in the economic sector by K508 million to over K1.6 billion in the new year. 

Mr Ling-Stuckey, said with a strong focus on job creation and domestic growth in the economy, targeted investments in agricultural sector agencies, forest and tourism sectors, and special supports for Special Economic Zones.