Vanimo Hosts Key EU-STREIT PNG Meeting to Boost Agribusiness Sustainable Development in the Sepik

Vanimo, Papua New Guinea – The EU-STREIT PNG Programme convened a Technical Working Group meeting in Vanimo, bringing together representatives from key partners, stakeholders, and counterparts from national and provincial government and administration entities, UN agencies, and the donor, the European Union (EU). The meeting served as a platform to discuss progress made over the last six months and propose strategies to expedite delivery and ensure the sustainability of interventions on the ground as the Programme approaches its final year of implementation.

Participants included 42 delegates from the EU Delegation to Papua New Guinea, the Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM), the Department of ICT (DICT), the Department of Works and Highways (DoWH), the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), the Cocoa Board, the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), the National ICT Authority (NICTA), the Rural Airstrip Agency, Provincial Administration Offices and Divisions in East and West Sepik, as well as officials and experts from the UN partner agencies, including FAO, ILO, ITU, UNCDF, and UNDP.

A key focus of the meeting was to reinforce ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships between the government, private sector, and other stakeholders. Discussions highlighted the crucial role of these partnerships in driving the sustainable development of cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries value chains across the region.

The Programme has been instrumental in fostering collaboration among these entities, ensuring that both public and private sector partners are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources, alongside conducive policies and institutional tools, necessary to progressively take over critical support functions as the Programme winds down. This approach is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of interventions and the continued success of agribusinesses in the Sepiks.

Preceding the meeting, attendees embarked on a comprehensive field visit across various intervention sites in the Vanimo-Green District of West Sepik Province. This visit provided an opportunity for participants to observe firsthand the Programme's impact on the ground, interact directly with beneficiaries, and hear their testimonials. Key sites visited included the Cocoa Export Market Depot, Pasi Cocoa Nursery, Rawu and Leitres Villages, and the Ossima Community—each showcasing the transformative outcomes of the Programme's interventions, including advancements in agribusiness, infrastructure, renewable energy, and digital hub development.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to accelerating progress and fostering the sustainable development of cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries value chains across the region, ensuring tangible benefits for the farmers, agripreneurs, and rural communities of East and West Sepik in Papua New Guinea.

About EU-STREIT PNG Programme

The EU-STREIT PNG, being implemented as a United Nations Joint Programme (by FAO, ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP), is the European Union's largest grant-funded initiative in the country. It focuses on boosting sustainable and inclusive economic development in rural areas. This is achieved by enhancing economic returns and opportunities within cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries value chains. Additionally, the Programme strengthens and improves the efficiency of value chain enablers, including access to ICT and digital financial services. It also supports the development of sustainable, climate-resilient transport infrastructures and renewable energy solutions. The Programme benefits two provinces: East Sepik and West Sepik. 

Cocoa

Vanilla

Fisheries