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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    Friday, February 11, 2005


    Fire ants a threat to biodiversity in French Polynesia

    PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Feb. 10) – Fire ants have “already contaminated in a serious way” part of the island of Tahiti, according to a visiting entomologist who is studying the problem to try and find a solution. “Based on information we already have, we are going to make onsite visits to Supermahina, Mahinarma et Atima” in Tahiti’s north coast Commune of Mahina, said Dr. Hervé Jourdan an entomologist in New Caledonia. He works for the IRD (Institut de research pour le développement), a French public science and technology research institute under the joint authority of the French ministries in charge of research and overseas development. He said after inspecting Mahina his next visit would be to the adjacent Commune of Papenoo. The imported fire ant species “that is in the course of colonizing the planet” presents a real danger for French Polynesia, Dr. Jourdan said. “It’s a real nuisance for the biodiversity. Nothing’s left where there are fire ants. For an island li ke Tahiti, it’s a real worry, taking into account its high level of diversity.”

    * Comments:

    The fire ant report from Tahiti is the Little Red Fire Ant (Wasmania auropunctata), less notorious than the more aggressive Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) (Solenopsis invicta) which is already in Brisbane, California and probably the recent report in the news from Hong Kong is also RIFA. The former is already in New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Is and also in Bougainville.

    While they are various methods, mostly use of formicides available, to control fire ants, the first action suitable for the region is prevention of entry into islands or countries through stringent surveillance or reporting systems at possible ports of entry as well as through legislations, trade agreements which minimize risks of importing fire ants and other potential invasive species.

    On the ground, PAPGREN members like Rosa can play a role by constantly looking out for these exotic ants and reporting to national quarantine or plant protection officers like Roy Masamdu of PNG NAQIA. Regionally, the Pacific Ant Prevention Plan (PAPP) has been developed as collaboration among several agencies to prevent the introduction of RIFA especially but is waiting funding to move it forward.

    “The PAPP lays out the recommended procedures, organisation and measures required to achieve the goal. It includes objectives under two broad headings of entry and establishment. In addition, a number of actions have been identified that are likely to be required in order to meet each objective.

    Prevention of entry measures required include:
    • appropriate legislation, regulations or standards to deal with invasive ants pre-border and at the border;
    • risk analysis that covers the region but which can be adapted for implementation to each country or territory;
    • regional trade agreements which accommodate risks associated with invasive ants; and
    • operational measures which can be applied to each territory and will actually prevent ants gaining entry.

    Prevention of establishment measures required includes:
    • a range of surveillance measures appropriate to quickly identify the presence of a new invasive ant in each territory;
    • appropriate incursion response procedures and the capability to enact them;
    • a regional public awareness strategy to ensure the ant species concerned have appropriate public profiles so the risks of their establishment are well understood by sections of the community; and
    • an active research programme to ensure the measures used to prevent establishment have a sound scientific base and thus will have the greatest likelihood of success.

    The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is coordinating this project, with support from members of the Pacific Invasive Ant Group” including SPC and SPREP.
     
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    Something new:


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

    PestNet: For on-line information, advice and pest identification for the Pacific and beyond. Contact: Grahame Jackson.

     

     

    Pacific Mapper: For on-line mapping of point data over satellite images of the Pacific provided by Google Maps.

     

     

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