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

     

  •  

    Sunday, May 08, 2005


    Oceaniafoods Conference

    From Dr Lois Englberger of Island Food Community of Pohnpei.

    I would like to share with you about the 7th Oceaniafoods Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, 13-15 April, 2005.

    http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/conferences/oceania/index.jsp

    I will be presenting two oral power point presentations (see below). Also, I am taking preserved pandanus from the Marshalls and preserved breadfruit from Pohnpei to send to a laboratory for analysis for inulin, a natural dietary fiber present in many fruits. Dietary fiber has been associated with many health benefits, including that of protecting against diabetes.

    1. Identification of Micronutrient-rich Locally Grown Foods in the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Kiribati

    Englberger L [1, 2]
    Aalbersberg W [3]
    Schierle J [4]
    Hoffman P [4]
    Humphries J [5]
    Huang A [6]
    Marks GC [1]
    Lorens A [2,7]
    Alfred J [8]
    Iuta T [9]
    Fitzgerald MH [10]

    1 School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
    2 Island Food Community of Pohnpei, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
    3 Institute of Applied Sciences/University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
    4 DSM Nutritional Products, Basel, Switzerland
    5 School of Agriculture and Wine, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, Australia
    6 University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
    7 Pohnpei Agriculture, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
    8 Ministry of Health, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands
    9 Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
    10 School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Objective: Vitamin A deficiency, anemia, and chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancers, are serious nutritionally-related health problems in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Marshall Islands, and Kiribati. The purpose of this study was to identify locally grown acceptable foods rich in provitamin A carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals that could be promoted to alleviate these health problems.

    Method: Ethnography was used to select foods and food cultivars for analysis and to understand factors of production, consumption, and acceptability. The DSM Yolk Color Fan was used to estimate the edible flesh coloration. Samples were analyzed for provitamin A and total carotenoids using HPLC and selected vitamins and minerals using HPLC and standard methods (vitamins and minerals) and a microbiological method (folate).

    Results: The cultivars with greater yellow- and orange-coloured edible flesh had higher carotenoid levels. Many banana, giant swamp taro, breadfruit, and pandanus cultivars, and other staple foods, including apuch from FSM and te bero from Kiribati, were identified as rich in provitamin A carotenoids, meeting either half or all of the estimated daily vitamin A requirements. Some giant swamp taro cultivars were identified with high levels of zinc and other minerals, and the carotenoid-rich Karat banana had high levels of riboflavin and other vitamins. The fish liver of the species studied were all rich sources of retinol, but there were also great differences in the levels.

    Conclusion: Many locally grown Pacific Island staple foods have been neglected but are rich in micronutrients, including provitamin A carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals.

    Recommendation: Those acceptable staple foods rich in provitamin A and total carotenoids, vitamins, and/or minerals should be promoted for their role in alleviating micronutrient deficiencies and for possibly alleviating diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Further work is needed in identifying other Pacific Island nutrient-rich locally grown foods. Ethnography should continue to be used in selecting locally grown foods for analysis, exploring social factors for reasons that these have been neglected, and for collecting information for planning promotion programs.

    2. A Novel Approach for Presenting Food Composition Data in the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Kiribati

    Englberger L [1, 2]
    Lorens A [2,3]
    Paul Y [4]
    Timothy, J [5]
    Alfred J [6]
    Nemra J [6]
    Iuta T [7]
    Ioanne T [8]
    Marks GC [1]
    Fitzgerald MH [9]

    1 School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
    2 Island Food Community of Pohnpei, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
    3 Pohnpei Agriculture, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
    4 Pohnpei Department of Health, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
    5 College of Micronesia-FSM Kosrae Campus, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia
    6 Ministry of Health, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands
    7 Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
    8 Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Agriculture Development, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
    9 School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Objective: In order to effectively communicate food composition data the right kind of promotional materials and messages are needed. This project developed a set of materials in order to promote locally grown carotenoid-rich foods and alleviate vitamin A deficiency, anemia, and chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers). The project included the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Kiribati.

    Method: Ethnography, including key informant interviews, informal focus group discussions, photography, and observation, were used to select foods of potential carotenoid content and to understand factors of production, consumption, and acceptability. Photographic materials were developed to show visual differences between the white-fleshed (or lighter-coloured) cultivars of low carotenoid content and the yellow- and orange-fleshed cultivars of high carotenoid content, focusing on banana, giant swamp taro, breadfruit, and pandanus. The content of the most important of the provitamin A carotenoids, beta-carotene, expressed per 100 g edible portion, was presented under the photo of the edible flesh of each cultivar. One page presented the message that rice contains no carotenoid at all. Another page presented the health benefits of yellow-fleshed cultivars.

    Results: Great interest was shown in the materials by people of a broad range of professions and backgrounds, some requesting a fuller explanation of technical terms, such as beta-carotene. On the whole, respondents could see that the deep yellow- or orange-fleshed cultivars had the higher carotenoid content, while some were interested simply in seeing photographs of their own traditional foods presented in an attractive form or were interested in learning the cultivar names.

    Conclusion: This novel approach to presenting carotenoid data was effective in communicating health messages in Micronesia.

    Recommendation: This approach for communicating food composition data could be used in further Micronesian programs and possibly elsewhere to present nutrient content data and promote locally grown foods.

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