A blog maintained by Tevita Kete, PGR Officer

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji Islands

 

   

This weblog documents the activities of Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN), along with other information on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Pacific.

The myriad varieties found within cultivated plants are fundamental to the present and future productivity of agriculture. PAPGREN, which is coordinated by the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), helps Pacific countries and territories to conserve their crop genetic diversity sustainably, with technical assistance from the Bioversity International (BI) and support from NZAID and ACIAR.

SPC also hosts the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CEPaCT). The CEPaCT maintains regional in vitro collections of crops important to the Pacific and carries out research on tissue culture technology. The CEPaCT Adviser is Dr Mary Taylor (MaryT@spc.int), the CEPaCT Curator is Ms Valerie Tuia (ValerieT@spc.int).

 

 

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PAPGREN coordination and support

  • IPGRI
  • ACIAR
  • NZAID
  • CTA
  • SPC
  • PAPGREN
  • CEPaCT

     genebank locations
    Click on the thumbnail to see a map of the locations of Pacific genebanks. Click here to download a regional directory of genebanks in the Pacific, including information on their location, contact details and holdings.

    PAPGREN partners


    Mr William Wigmore
    Director of Research
    Ministry of Agriculture
    Department of Resources & Development
    P.O. Box 96
    Rarotonga
    Cook Islands
    Tel: (682) 28711-29720
    Fax: (682) 21881
    Email: cimoa@oyster.net.ck

    Mr Adelino S. Lorens
    Chief
    Agriculture Pohnpei
    Office of Economic Affairs
    P.O. Box 1028
    Kolonia
    Pohnpei 96941
    Federated States of Micronesia
    Tel: (691) 3202400
    Fax: (691) 3202127
    Email: pniagriculture@mail.fm

    Dr Lois Englberger
    Island Food Community of Pohnpei
    Research Advisor
    P.O. Box 2299
    Kolonia
    Pohnpei 96941
    Federated States of Micronesia
    Email: nutrition@mail.fm

    Mr Apisai Ucuboi
    Director of Research
    Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest
    Koronivia Research Station
    P.O. Box 77
    Nausori
    Fiji Islands
    Tel: (679) 3477044
    Fax: (679) 3477546-400262
    Email: apisainu@yahoo.com

    Dr Maurice Wong
    Service du Developpement Rural
    B.P. 100
    Papeete
    Tahiti 98713
    French Polynesia
    Tel: (689) 42 81 44
    Fax: (689) 42 08 31
    Email: maurice.wong@rural.gov.pf

    Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane
    Head, Research Section
    Division of Agriculture
    Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development
    P.O. Box 267
    Tarawa
    Kiribati
    Tel: (686) 28096-28108-28080
    Fax: (686) 28121
    Email : agriculture@tskl.net.ki; Beenna_ti@yahoo.com

    Mr Frederick Muller
    Secretary
    Ministry of Resources & Development
    P.O. Box 1727
    Majuro 96960
    Marshall Islands
    Tel: (692) 6253206
    Fax: (692) 6257471
    Email: rndsec@ntamar.net

    Mr Herman Francisco
    Director
    Bureau of Agriculture
    Ministry of Resources & Development
    P.O. Box 460
    Koror 96940
    Palau
    Tel: (680) 4881517
    Fax: (680) 4881725
    Email: bnrd@pnccwg.palaunet.com

    Ms Rosa Kambuou
    Principal Scientist PGR
    NARI Dry Lowlands Programme
    Laloki Agricultural Research Station
    P.O. Box 1828
    Boroko
    National Capital District
    Papua New Guinea
    Tel: (675) 3235511
    Fax: (675) 3234733
    Email: kambuou@global.net.pg

    Ms Laisene Samuelu
    Principal Crop Development Officer
    Crops Division
    Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries & Meteorology
    P.O. Box 1874
    Apia
    Samoa
    Tel: (685) 23416-20605
    Fax: (685) 20607-23996
    Email: lsamuelu@lesamoa.net

    Mr Jimi Saelea
    Director of Research
    Department of Agriculture and Livestock
    P.O. Box G13
    Honiara
    Guadalcanal
    Solomon Islands
    Tel: (677) 27987

    Mr Tony Jansen
    Planting Materials Network
    Kastom Gaden Association
    Burns Creek, Honiara
    P.O. Box 742
    Honiara
    Solomon Islands
    Tel: (677) 39551
    Email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb

    Mr Finao Pole
    Head of Research
    Ministry of Agriculture & Forests
    P.O. Box 14
    Nuku'alofa
    Tonga
    Tel: (676) 23038
    Fax: (676) 24271
    Email: thaangana@hotmail.com

    Mr Frazer Bule Lehi
    Head of Research
    Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
    Private Mail Bag 040
    Port Vila
    Vanuatu
    Tel: (678) 22525
    Fax: (678) 25265
    Email: flehi@hotmail.com

    Other links

    Other CROP agencies
    Forum Secretariat
    University of the South Pacific
    SPREP

    Pacific biodiversity
    Biodiversity hotspots
    Breadfruit Institute
    Hawaiian native plants
    Intellectual property rights
    Nature Conservancy
    PBIF
    PestNet
    SIDS
    WWF South Pacific Program

    Other Pacific organizations
    Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific
    Micronesian Seminar
    Te Puna web directory

    Pacific news
    Cafe Pacific
    CocoNET Wireless
    Island Directory
    Pacific Islands News
    Pacific Islands Report
    Pacific Islands Travel
    Pacific Time
    South Pacific travel
    Time Pacific

    Interested in GIS?
    DIVA-GIS

     

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    Tuesday, May 11, 2004


    News from Kiribati

    The Agriculture Division of the Minister for Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development of Kiribati will be expanding its germplasm collection to include the outer islands, where most people are living and are more dependant on agriculture than in South Tarawa. The staff of the Crop Improvement and Agroforestry Section will set up four genebanks (breadfruit varieties, banana, pandanus, citrus and other important food crops) for local and introduced food crops on Tabiteuea North in the Southern group. The genebank will cater for the seven islands as it is the main transit for flights to the Southern group.

    Tianeti Beenna Ioane
    Head
    Research Section
    Division of Agriculture
    Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development
    PO Box 267
    Tarawa
    Kiribati

    agriculture@tskl.net.ki
    Beena_ti@yahoo.com

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    Bamboo conservation

    A study on the conservation status of bamboo species globally has just been published by INBAR (International Network for Bamboo and Rattan) and UNEP-WCMC (United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre). It shows that many bamboo species, including relatives of those cultivated commercially, have tiny amounts of forest remaining within their native ranges. You can find out more about the report (and download it) here:

    http://www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/publications/UNEP_WCMC_bio_series/14/presspack/index.htm

    For the Pacific region, the report shows areas of potentially moderately high bamboo richness (11-32 species) in parts of Papua New Guinea. See this map. The highest levels of species richness occur in southern China, with some areas having up to 140 species.

    * Comments:

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    Monday, May 10, 2004


    Betel Nut in Yap

    An article in Pacific Magazine and Islands Business describes the Yap betel nut industry, worth US $3 million in the year up to Feb. 2004. The trade has fueled an entrepreneurial spirit in Yap.

    What the article does not say, is that unfortunately the typhoon "Sudal" has since devastated Yap (at the beginning of April). Dietmar Braeutigam of SPC's Forestry Programme, who visited the island recently, tells me that it has destroyed more than 90% of the island's vegetation, including their diverse agroforestry systems. It will take some time for Yap's betel nut industry to recover.

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    Sunday, May 09, 2004


    More on the Musa Germplasm Information System (MGIS) on-line

    A correction has been made to the MGIS webpage mentioned last week. The banana germplasm collection in PNG is maintained by NARI (not DAL) at Laloki, and this is now correctly reflected. Elizabeth Arnaud of INIBAP also informs us that a report entitled "Preliminary study of the literature on the distribution of wild Musa species using MGIS and DIVA-GIS" is now available on-line at

    http://www.inibap.org/publications/reports_eng.htm

    This report was produced after 6-month internship of Patrick Pollefeys sponsored by The Ministry of International Relations in Québec. INIBAP would be grateful for any feedback and further contributions to this study from researchers working on wild Musa species in this region.

    * Comments:

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    Monday, May 03, 2004


    “The business of NARI is information”

    This quote is taken from the mandate statement of PNG's National Agricultural Research Institute. There's a piece on NARI's information and communication activities in CTA's Spore magazine, online at:

    http://www.cta.int/spore/spore109/spore109_brief.html#brief5

    Here's an excerpt from the article: "Having first released three varieties of taro (see Spore 105), NARI used the grand opening of their new HQ in November 2003 to publicise nine other releases. The dignitaries – Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, three provincial governors, and diplomats – took on the intermediary role of receiving seeds, planting materials or bio-control agents from NARI scientists and handing them on to a leading farmer or extension agent. Among the releases were four rice varieties, drought-resistant or early-maturing sweet potato cultivars and cassava, five superior banana varieties for testing; and two biological control agents: a wasp for the diamondback moth pest of brassicas, and a moth for Chromolaena weed."

    The article includes a photograph of NARI's Principal Scientist for PGR, Mrs Rosa Kambuou.

    * Comments:

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    Musa Germplasm Information System (MGIS) on-line

    MGIS is hosted by the SINGER server at the following url: http://mgis.grinfo.net. This on-line database offers access to the information recorded by curators of 16 institutions holding a Musa field or in vitro collection, including PNG and Australia in the Pacific region (see list below). The in vitro collection of the INIBAP Transit Centre is recorded in this database along with the availability of material for exchange and records of shipments made to partners.

    · Australia, Queensland Dept of Primary Industries (QDPI), South Johnstone research station
    · Belgium, INIBAP Transit Centre
    · Cameroon, Centre africain de recherches sur bananiers et plantains (CARBAP), Nyombe
    · France, CIRAD-Guadeloupe research station
    · Honduras, Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agricola (FHIA)
    · India, National Research Center on Banana (NRCB), Trichy research station
    · India, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore
    · India, Kerala Agricultural University Banana Res. Station (KAU), Thrissur
    · Indonesia, Research Institute for Fruits (RIF), Agency for Agricultural Res. and Development, Solok
    · Kenya, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Kisii
    · Nigeria, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Onne
    · Papua New Guinea, Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Laloki research station
    · Philippines, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Davao, field collection
    · Republic of China, South China Agricultural University (SCAU)
    · Uganda, National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Kawanda
    · Vietnam, Phu Ho Fruit Crop Research Center (FCRC)

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    World Census of Agriculture - Results for Pacific countries

    The following page on the FAO website has links to summaries of agricultural censuses worldwide

    http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/ECONOMIC/ESS/census/wcares/

    Data on the following Pacific countries are included:

    American Samoa: 1980, 1990, 2003
    Cook Islands: 1988, 2000
    Fiji: 1978-1979, 1991
    Guam: 1977/1982, 1987/1992, 1997/2002
    New Caledonia: 1983-1984, 1991-1992, 2002
    Niue: 1989
    North. Mariana Isl.: 1980, 1990, 1998/2002
    Palau: 1989
    Samoa: 1980, 1989, 1999
    Tonga: 1985
    Vanuatu: 1993

    * Comments:

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    Pacific Science Exchange (PSE) has a website

    The launch of the Pacific Science Exchange (PSE) website has been announced:

    http://www.unesco.org.ws/ns

    The PSE will now be centred around this website, rather than daily/weekly e-mails. The plan is to update the website every month or so with Pacific-relevant science events, comments, articles and information. To make the PSE website work, they need your input. If you would like anything put up on the PSE website, please send it to Rod Lamberts at the following email address:

    science.exchange@anu.edu.au

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    Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives.  

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