PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 3:04 PM by Luigi

Rice farming could harm Solomon food security, warns KGA

Kastom Gaden Association press release, 16.5.05

Large-scale rice farming for cash crops is unsustainable and could harm the future production of the Solomon Island’s indigenous staple foods, Kastom Gaden Association (KGA) has warned. The community development NGO has voiced its concern in response to plans by the Solomon Island Department of Agriculture to significantly expand rice production across the provinces.
Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) reported earlier this month that the Government of Taiwan has pledged SB$5million worth of rice seedlings and machinery to help Solomon farmers produce their own crops, with the aim of reducing the country’s dependency on imported rice. The government’s support for this programme was reiterated by a visit last week by agriculture permanent secretary Edward Kingmele to a training rice farm at St Joseph’s Tenaru Secondary School, Honiara. Mr Kingmele told the Solomon Star that “rice is a staple food and a source of food security.”

However, KGA argues that moving towards more rice production is actually a negative trend and can harm food security because it creates more dependency among farmers on government money, overseas aid and fertilisers and pesticides. Inia Barry, KGA manager, said: “Rice production only succeeds with subsidies and these may not always be available. It also relies on transport, fertiliser, pesticides and machines that soon break down. In KGA’s experience most families give up growing rice after a few seasons because it is harder work and more risky than growing root crops like sweet potato. ”

He said the government should be focusing its resources on the production of the Solomon Island’s locally grown staple foods, which far outweigh rice consumption. KGA reports that sweet potato, followed by cassava, banana, taro, coconut, pana and yam make up an estimated 430,000 tonnes of food produced per year. In contrast, only a tiny quantity of rice is grown by villagers through aid supported projects, with production likely to be less than 100 tonnes per year. According to the KGA study, about 23,500 tonnes of rice was imported in the year ending April 30 2004. However, KGA found the consumption of rice is actually falling because of a steadily rising population.

Mr. Barry added that Taiwan is also a major producer of sweet potato. He suggested: “We should ask for assistance in root crop processing and value adding, such as producing sweet potato noodles, which would build on what local people are already good at.”

For further information, please contact press officer Louise Hunt at Kastom Gaden Association.

Kastom Gaden Association
PO Box 742, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Phone: (677) 39551
Fax: (677) 30840
email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb



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DIVA-GIS	Wednesday, May 25, 2005 Posted 3:04 PM by Luigi Rice farming could harm Solomon food security, warns KGA Kastom Gaden Association press release, 16.5.05 Large-scale rice farming for cash crops is unsustainable and could harm the future production of the Solomon Island’s indigenous staple foods, Kastom Gaden Association (KGA) has warned. The community development NGO has voiced its concern in response to plans by the Solomon Island Department of Agriculture to significantly expand rice production across the provinces. Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) reported earlier this month that the Government of Taiwan has pledged SB$5million worth of rice seedlings and machinery to help Solomon farmers produce their own crops, with the aim of reducing the country’s dependency on imported rice. The government’s support for this programme was reiterated by a visit last week by agriculture permanent secretary Edward Kingmele to a training rice farm at St Joseph’s Tenaru Secondary School, Honiara. Mr Kingmele told the Solomon Star that “rice is a staple food and a source of food security.” However, KGA argues that moving towards more rice production is actually a negative trend and can harm food security because it creates more dependency among farmers on government money, overseas aid and fertilisers and pesticides. Inia Barry, KGA manager, said: “Rice production only succeeds with subsidies and these may not always be available. It also relies on transport, fertiliser, pesticides and machines that soon break down. In KGA’s experience most families give up growing rice after a few seasons because it is harder work and more risky than growing root crops like sweet potato. ” He said the government should be focusing its resources on the production of the Solomon Island’s locally grown staple foods, which far outweigh rice consumption. KGA reports that sweet potato, followed by cassava, banana, taro, coconut, pana and yam make up an estimated 430,000 tonnes of food produced per year. In contrast, only a tiny quantity of rice is grown by villagers through aid supported projects, with production likely to be less than 100 tonnes per year. According to the KGA study, about 23,500 tonnes of rice was imported in the year ending April 30 2004. However, KGA found the consumption of rice is actually falling because of a steadily rising population. Mr. Barry added that Taiwan is also a major producer of sweet potato. He suggested: “We should ask for assistance in root crop processing and value adding, such as producing sweet potato noodles, which would build on what local people are already good at.” For further information, please contact press officer Louise Hunt at Kastom Gaden Association. Kastom Gaden Association PO Box 742, Honiara, Solomon Islands Phone: (677) 39551 Fax: (677) 30840 email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb * 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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