Comparative Advantage for Economic Growth and Development
Southern Highlands Province’s economy is largely smallholder-based agriculture, including some commercial production of fresh produce, coffee, poultry, and inland fish farming. Gas and oil are extracted at Kutubu.
There is potential for developing the production of hemp, grains and rice farming, livestock, eco-tourism, and hydro energy, and forest resources provide opportunities for carbon trade or development. SHP also has huge deposits of limestone resources.
Under the Planning and Service Delivery Frameworks, SHP will develop their five-year Provincial and District Development Plans in alignment to the MTDP IV, and incorporate all the District minimum service needs (Table C1.2) and strategic economic investment opportunities (Table C2.6.2).
Southern Highlands Province Strategic Economic Priorities
| Comparative Advantage | Specific Areas | Targets |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Agriculture & Livestock Development | Coffee Smallholders | Increase production and downstream processing |
| Cocoa | ||
| Rice Farming | ||
| Fresh Produce & Spice Apiculture (Honey) | ||
| Poultry Development | ||
| Cattle Development | ||
| Forest Development | Forest Products Development | 100% Downstream Processing |
| Mining and Petreloum | Kutubu Petroleum | 70% fisheries processed onshore |
| PNGLNG Pipeline | ||
| Alluvial Mining and other Mineral & Petroleum Prospects | ||
| Other new mining prospects and alluvial mine | ||
| MSME & District Growth Centres Development | Provincial and District Market Development | MSME development |
| District Growth Centres and MSME Incubation Hub | ||
| Financial Inclusion | ||
| Downstream Processing | Coffee Smallholders | Produce value-adding |
| Rice Milling and Packaging | Job creation | |
| Fresh Produce & Spice Value Chain | ||
| Apiculture (Honey) | ||
| Poultry & Cattle Processing | ||
| Trade and Investment | Special Economic Zones | Promote SEZ and Industrial Hubs |
| Kokopo Industrial Park | ||
| Tourism Niche Product Development | Mt. Giluwe Tourism | Promote local and International tourism |
| Tourism Niche Product Development | ||
| Land Development | Customary Land Registration (ILGs) | Bankable land |
| Unlocking Land for Development |