PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 6:14 PM by Luigi

Farmers Diversity Show in Solomon Islands

This just in from Inia Barry of Kasdom Gaden Association (kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb) in Soloomon Islands.

Kolombangara and Rannongga farmers have come together for the first time for a Farmers' Diversity Show at Gizo market today (Thursday, 25th November 2004).

Farmers involved in the Planting Materials Network (PMN) in Kolombangara had the idea of having a Farmers' Diversity Show so that they could come together and show the diversity of the different crops that they grow and encourage, learn and share with each other about the variety of different food crops that can be grown and different farming techniques.

Farmers registered in the morning and displayed their best produce and their best local kai kai dishes for a competition. Judges from the Kastom Gaden staff, Ministry of Health and Save the Children staff looked at all of the produce on display from different farmers, and awarded prizes for the best fruit, best vegetable, best root crop, best diversity of produce and best tasting local kai kai. First, second and third prizes were given for each category.

Other events during the day included farmers exchanging planting materials of the different crops in their gardens, both seeds and suckers, as well as farmers talking about the activities that they are doing carrying out in their communities. This included information about two farmer training centres that have been set up by active farmers in Western Province – the Sausama Grassroots Farmer School and the Kusi Organic Agro-Centre. Both of these farmer training centres have been set up by farmers with support from their communities, with the purpose of providing training in improved sustainable farming techniques for farmers in the local areas.

Inia Barry, Mary Timothy and Karen Lummis from the Kastom Gaden staff helped coordinate the day, and the EU Micro-Projects helped support the event. The farmer members of the Planting Materials Network, and the staff of Kastom Gaden, would like to thank the EU for their ongoing support to the activities of the national farmers network, the Planting Materials Network.



	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). PAPGREN coordination and support IPGRI ACIAR NZAID CTA SPC PAPGREN CEPaCT 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. 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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	Monday, November 29, 2004 Posted 6:14 PM by Luigi Farmers Diversity Show in Solomon Islands This just in from Inia Barry of Kasdom Gaden Association (kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb) in Soloomon Islands. Kolombangara and Rannongga farmers have come together for the first time for a Farmers' Diversity Show at Gizo market today (Thursday, 25th November 2004). Farmers involved in the Planting Materials Network (PMN) in Kolombangara had the idea of having a Farmers' Diversity Show so that they could come together and show the diversity of the different crops that they grow and encourage, learn and share with each other about the variety of different food crops that can be grown and different farming techniques. Farmers registered in the morning and displayed their best produce and their best local kai kai dishes for a competition. Judges from the Kastom Gaden staff, Ministry of Health and Save the Children staff looked at all of the produce on display from different farmers, and awarded prizes for the best fruit, best vegetable, best root crop, best diversity of produce and best tasting local kai kai. First, second and third prizes were given for each category. Other events during the day included farmers exchanging planting materials of the different crops in their gardens, both seeds and suckers, as well as farmers talking about the activities that they are doing carrying out in their communities. This included information about two farmer training centres that have been set up by active farmers in Western Province – the Sausama Grassroots Farmer School and the Kusi Organic Agro-Centre. Both of these farmer training centres have been set up by farmers with support from their communities, with the purpose of providing training in improved sustainable farming techniques for farmers in the local areas. Inia Barry, Mary Timothy and Karen Lummis from the Kastom Gaden staff helped coordinate the day, and the EU Micro-Projects helped support the event. The farmer members of the Planting Materials Network, and the staff of Kastom Gaden, would like to thank the EU for their ongoing support to the activities of the national farmers network, the Planting Materials Network. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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