The catastrophic incident of Black Wednesday and ensuing incidences here in the Nation’s Capital Port Moresby and throughout the country, laid bare the critical food supply chain, resulting in both food producers and consumers being affected. This prompted a quick response from the Consultative Implementation & Monitoring Council (CIMC), to hold an open forum at the Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby that was hosted in partnership with the Institute of National Affairs (INA) and the Department of Agriculture Livestock (DAL). Opening remarks by the head of the INA, Mr. Paul Barker, spelt out an urgent need for public private partnerships, to safeguard this supply chain, especially in times of crises. In the brief history that he provided of the food supply chain in the country, Mr. Barker said in the past and owing to little government interventions, supermarkets were selling a lot more imported produce than local. “This is where I have to give credit to Stop & Shop (SnS) and the CPL Group of Companies.” “They were the ones that really committed to local producers and built up a value chain and other supermarket chains and food production and catering companies followed suit.” He said a lot of investments in this space have been done by the private sector and that the government needs to play more of an active role, by reducing risks so more businesses can invest in the food market industry, thereby safeguarding the food supply chain. “Everyone needs ready access to food supply and people’s livelihoods depend on being able to produce and market constantly.” “If you interrupt that flow… you have a real calamitous situation where people are not going to get their food supplies.” “We want to make sure that the government’s contribution is being able to develop the whole food market industry, not just in the production and trade stage, but also through training, research, disease control, and all these activities.” Mr. Barker reaffirmed the purpose of the CIMC Open Forum, saying it was an avenue to bring together all the players in the food market industry, to come up with the right mechanisms; one that is sustainable and where the government and private roles do not overlap that they can implement immediately to safeguard the food supply chain.