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

     

  •  

    Thursday, November 17, 2005


    Vegetables in Fiji

    Clan adds to salad bowl

    By Timothy Naivaluwaqa, Fiji Times (Friday, November 18, 2005)

    THERE is a vegetable garden three kilometres from Sigatoka Town that catches the breath and eye. It is a neat piece of handiwork and skills by members of a clan who learnt the art of gardening or planting from Taiwan experts.

    Not only that, they fuelled it with their commitment and dedication.

    "It was hard work but we were determined to succeed. We worked until we had prepared the garden the way we were taught."

    That is what Serupepeli Nawaqe, turaga ni mataqali Naboka Juanahali of Nayawa in Sigatoka told me when I asked how they transformed a sugarcane field into a beautiful vegetable garden.
    I marvelled at the way they switched to vegetable farming.

    To start, they had only four digging spades and what they had learnt at a two-week course in July. The 12 men returned from the workshop and started planting cucumber, tomatoes, coriander, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, spring onions and capsicum just the way the Taiwanese said. Five months after they broke soil, their vegetable garden has grown to be a model project for the Taiwan technical mission based at Nacocolevu agricultural research station in the Sigatoka Valley.

    The men learnt from the Taiwan experts at Nacocolevu and the results speak for themselves. The Taiwan experts were so impressed by what the clan members achieved that it gave them samples of a hybrid tomato, called Number Two, which grew and produced in the farm.

    What makes this story amazing is that none of the men had been vegetable farmers.

    The 50-year-old said when they were given the chance to learn with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture, they took the challenge as an initiative to generate income and help fellow villagers. They also involved in a project with the Outrigger on the Lagoon Resort on the Coral Coast. So, in a way, Mr Nawaqe and his men are on their way to achieving a dream. He said they brought in more young members of their mataqali to ensure their skills were passed on to the next generation and guarantee the sustainability of vegetable farming.

    "Two of my sons are working in the farm and we are trying to bring in more members of our mataqali.

    "It was hard at the start because it was the first time for all of us but after a lot of hard work, we can now be proud and show our garden to other villagers in the country," he said.

    "Last week, a group of villagers from Serea in Naitasiri were brought to the farm by the Taiwan team to look at our work.

    "They did not believe what they saw.

    "I am proud because we achieved all this without using any machine," said Mr Nawaqe.

    Paying attention to every detail, the vegetable garden will attract the attention of an expert or veteran farmer. The plots are measured and spaced out evenly, that no one would think it was done by hand. Group members who visit the garden daily to check on the growth of the plants, do a little watering while there. It's a clan affair and unique in that they started an initiative by the management of Outrigger on the Lagoon Resort to see that indigenous communities took advantage of the tourism industry.

    It is known as the Olo Olo Farming Project and the aim is to supply top-quality fresh vegetables to nearby hotels. Mr Nawaqe and group were guided by the Outrigger's manager Ilaisa Cavu. They decided to grow vegetables consumed daily by tourists in resorts on the Coral Coast. Now they hope to provide the resorts with a consistent supply of fresh vegetables.

    Mr Cavu said even though mataqali Naboka had attracted attention in Sigatoka, there were plans to extend. He said their commitment to the project was indicated by their decision to reserve 10 acres of their property and lease it for the project's development.

    "They have a 30-year lease on the land and we are working to see the plantation is expanded.

    "The resort is facilitating arrangements to secure funding from the Ministry for Agriculture under its rural assistance scheme so we can install a proper irrigation system," said Mr Cavu.

    He said that while quality was their trademark, another factor they were working to was maintaining a regular supply.

    "They have been harvesting in the past two weeks and we were surprised by the quality," said Mr Cavu.

    "After this, the resort is determined to help them set up a company."

    He said they would plant vegetables which could meet the quality and demand of hotels. He said they hoped to reduce the amount of vegetables which was imported from overseas and substitute them with local quality produce. The hard part for Mr Nawaqe and clan is to maintain the quality of their vegetables.

    The mataqali Naboka Juanahali has done well so far and the future looks bright. They are reaping what they sowed.

    * Comments:

    How does SOPAC in all it's knowledge intend to catapult Fiji's agricultural industry as well guaranteeing trade markets in Europe.

    I hardly ever hear SOPAC voice it's concerns over technology transfers in the agricultural sector from developed nations to South Pacific island nations.
    Too bad, most of these experts ( citizens of Aust/N.Z) are just protecting their home nation's market. On a subtle level.

    It's almost like having a Fox being consulted on security requirements of the hen house.
     
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