Photo: EU-STREIT PNG Programme, in its ongoing efforts to build the capacity of rural entrepreneurs and business activities and to create linkages of value chain actors with the public and private sector in the Sepik Region, supports the formation of a Greater Sepik Secretariat Forum.
With the backing of the EU Funded UN Joint STREIT PNG Programme, the Greater Sepik Secretariat Forum (GSSF) has been formalised and is set to promote and strengthen agribusiness activities in the Greater Sepik region of Papua New Guinea.
Officiating the inaugural meeting, the FAO Gender and Youth Leading Expert, Ms Patu Shang, called for inclusive participation and genuine representation. Addressing the participants, including the five interim executives of the Greater Sepik Secretariat Forum, Ms Shang underscored: “you are key players in the sector and in a group like this, we can work together by bringing out the issues, and learn from each other. I am also happy to see 50/50 women participation, and this is how it should work.”
Five of the executives are officers of the East Sepik and Sandaun Provincial Administrations, while two are from the private sector.
The Secretariat Forum will act as a platform for all key stakeholders and value chain actors to exchange views and discuss real-time experiences on best practices, challenges and partnership opportunities for the targeted value chains of cocoa, vanilla and fisheries that are supported under the Programme in the Sepik Region, explained the FAO Value Chain & Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Officer, Mr Alwyn Badui.
“At the end of the EU Funded UN Joint EU STREIT PNG Programme, this forum will continue to facilitate the promotion of rural agribusiness through partnership to strengthen each other and also for sourcing outside support in terms of marketing,” explained Mr Badui.
The participants, who are key businessmen and women representing SMEs, cooperatives, women and youth groups, were very supportive of this initiative that will act as a platform to support their farming and business activities in the two Sepiks.
A female vanilla exporter, Nancy Fale said: “This is a good initiative that will help us to discuss and learn from each other on our failures, our strengths and weaknesses, so that after EU-STREIT, we can stand on our own with the support of this forum to take us to the next level.”
For James Dohmun, a cooperative representative from the hinterland of Drekikier in East Sepik, he described the meeting as a learning as well as a business opportunity and said: “If I didn’t attend, I would not learn something new about inland fish farming today.”
The gathering pulled together 46 participants, including youths and women from the public and private sectors who also shared best practices, key challenges and partnership opportunities available in cocoa, vanilla and fisheries value chains that can be utilised to support and promote their business activities, growth, income, cash flow and employment for the rural communities.
Highlighting the importance of the Geographical Indication (GI) initiative that the EU-STREIT PNG Programme is pursuing with the Investment Promotion Authority, the FAO SME Officer, Mr Badui, said that the use of GI will leverage market competitiveness which will contribute to meeting the aspirations of this forum in transforming the economy in the Sepik Region and PNG as a whole. GI is a globally recognised trademark on products and crafts that has a geographical origin and possesses qualities or recognition.
EU-STREIT PNG, being implemented as a United Nations Joint Programme (FAO as leading agency/administrative agent, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF, and UNDP as implementing partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the country and the Pacific region. The Programme aims to help improve the lives of the people from East Sepik and Sandaun provinces, by focusing on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through improved economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains while strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers, including the business environment, and supporting sustainable, climate-proof transport and energy infrastructure development.
Article courtesy of EU-STREIT PNG
