PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 7:32 AM by Luigi

Turning bamboo into wealth

From the Fiji Times, Wednesday, March 07, 2007

FOURTEEN young men from a Taievu village are learning the art of designing and making furniture out of local bamboo.

The Indonesian Embassy, which organised the workshop, is impressed with the quality of local bamboo and is helping a local businessman Usaia Korodrau look for markets locally, for the products.

The workshop started in November last year after Mr Korodrau approached the Ministry of Forests and the Indonesian Embassy with the idea of using bamboo to make furniture.

"In 2000, I went to China to attend a workshop on how to design and use bamboo and last year the Indonesian Embassy facilitated a workshop where I learnt the art of creating designs and the actual manufacture of the items," he said.

The Embassy's Second Secretary, Robert Sitorus said according to experts from Indonesia, Fijian bamboo was of the strongest quality and furniture made from it would be durable.

He said the workshop participants, aged 19-25, were looking at blending designs from Indonesia and Fiji.

Mr Korodrau said the youths worked with him at the workshop at his home in Vusuya Village, Nausori.

"These youths were unemployed but they have a lot of talent for the work and after attending the workshop by the Indonesian Embassy, their talents have been enhanced," he said.

Items made by the team include trays, sofa sets, coffee tables, a double bed, chairs, lamp shades, baskets and mirror holders.

Mr Korodrau said he hoped to get the products into the market by the end of April. He said once the products were launched in the market, he would be able to employ the youths.

Posted 10:45 PM by Luigi

New book on traditional medicine

From Island Business.

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS: THE WOMEN, THE PLANTS, THE TREATMENTS By Irene J. Taafaki, Maria Kabua Fowler & Randolph R. Thaman

by Prof. Bill Aalbersberg

This lavishly illustrated and beautifully presented book is the result of a collaboration between nine expert Marshallese healers, members of clans who possess their own special medicines, and numerous others familiar with folk or general remedies, facilitated by the University of the South Pacific.

As in most countries in the Pacific, traditional knowledge of the Marshallese—including traditional medicinal knowledge—has often been considered a secret, taught only to carefully selected people and passed on by word of mouth.

But the impact of the outside world on the countries of the Pacific threatens the preservation of such knowledge and puts at risk the biodiversity on which the knowledge is based.

The release of Traditional Medicine of the Marshall Islands will ensure that much of that traditional knowledge will survive and that ecosystems are protected for future generations.

This book provides a valuable insight into the remarkable cultural knowledge and living heritage of the Marshallese people, exploring an aspect of the skills of this fascinating small island country struggling to survive in the heart of the Pacific Ocean.

It provides a unique opportunity to learn from the people who have shared generations of learning in order that their knowledge will not be lost.

Importantly, as the authors explain, this book is not an attempt to exploit traditional wisdom for commercial benefit or the titillation of ‘outsiders’.

This was an initial concern of the healers.

It was only after Hawai’ian traditional healers Auntie Alapa’i Aka’apo Ahuko’oohumukini and Roland Bula Ahi Logan met with Marshallese healers and related how Hawai’ians had lost much of their traditional medicinal knowledge—in part due to the secrecy associated with traditional medicine—that the Marshallese unanimously agreed to become active players in the recording, preservation and application of Marshallese medicinal knowledge for the benefit of future generations.

Traditional Medicine describes more than 270 traditional medicinal treatments, with a particular focus on the use of traditional medicine for the treatment of women.

Such knowledge supports the growing worldwide trend to incorporate time-tested traditional medicinal practices into modern health systems.

Published by IPS Publications, University of the South Pacific, Suva, 2006., 318 pp; $45.95 Available in many bookshops, or contact: ipssales@usp.ac.fj; www.ipsbooks.usp.ac.fj



	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. 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, March 29, 2007 Posted 7:32 AM by Luigi Turning bamboo into wealth From the Fiji Times, Wednesday, March 07, 2007 FOURTEEN young men from a Taievu village are learning the art of designing and making furniture out of local bamboo. The Indonesian Embassy, which organised the workshop, is impressed with the quality of local bamboo and is helping a local businessman Usaia Korodrau look for markets locally, for the products. The workshop started in November last year after Mr Korodrau approached the Ministry of Forests and the Indonesian Embassy with the idea of using bamboo to make furniture. "In 2000, I went to China to attend a workshop on how to design and use bamboo and last year the Indonesian Embassy facilitated a workshop where I learnt the art of creating designs and the actual manufacture of the items," he said. The Embassy's Second Secretary, Robert Sitorus said according to experts from Indonesia, Fijian bamboo was of the strongest quality and furniture made from it would be durable. He said the workshop participants, aged 19-25, were looking at blending designs from Indonesia and Fiji. Mr Korodrau said the youths worked with him at the workshop at his home in Vusuya Village, Nausori. "These youths were unemployed but they have a lot of talent for the work and after attending the workshop by the Indonesian Embassy, their talents have been enhanced," he said. Items made by the team include trays, sofa sets, coffee tables, a double bed, chairs, lamp shades, baskets and mirror holders. Mr Korodrau said he hoped to get the products into the market by the end of April. He said once the products were launched in the market, he would be able to employ the youths. * Comments: Post a Comment Monday, March 12, 2007 Posted 10:45 PM by Luigi New book on traditional medicine From Island Business. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS: THE WOMEN, THE PLANTS, THE TREATMENTS By Irene J. Taafaki, Maria Kabua Fowler & Randolph R. Thaman by Prof. Bill Aalbersberg This lavishly illustrated and beautifully presented book is the result of a collaboration between nine expert Marshallese healers, members of clans who possess their own special medicines, and numerous others familiar with folk or general remedies, facilitated by the University of the South Pacific. As in most countries in the Pacific, traditional knowledge of the Marshallese—including traditional medicinal knowledge—has often been considered a secret, taught only to carefully selected people and passed on by word of mouth. But the impact of the outside world on the countries of the Pacific threatens the preservation of such knowledge and puts at risk the biodiversity on which the knowledge is based. The release of Traditional Medicine of the Marshall Islands will ensure that much of that traditional knowledge will survive and that ecosystems are protected for future generations. This book provides a valuable insight into the remarkable cultural knowledge and living heritage of the Marshallese people, exploring an aspect of the skills of this fascinating small island country struggling to survive in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. It provides a unique opportunity to learn from the people who have shared generations of learning in order that their knowledge will not be lost. Importantly, as the authors explain, this book is not an attempt to exploit traditional wisdom for commercial benefit or the titillation of ‘outsiders’. This was an initial concern of the healers. It was only after Hawai’ian traditional healers Auntie Alapa’i Aka’apo Ahuko’oohumukini and Roland Bula Ahi Logan met with Marshallese healers and related how Hawai’ians had lost much of their traditional medicinal knowledge—in part due to the secrecy associated with traditional medicine—that the Marshallese unanimously agreed to become active players in the recording, preservation and application of Marshallese medicinal knowledge for the benefit of future generations. Traditional Medicine describes more than 270 traditional medicinal treatments, with a particular focus on the use of traditional medicine for the treatment of women. Such knowledge supports the growing worldwide trend to incorporate time-tested traditional medicinal practices into modern health systems. Published by IPS Publications, University of the South Pacific, Suva, 2006., 318 pp; $45.95 Available in many bookshops, or contact: ipssales@usp.ac.fj; www.ipsbooks.usp.ac.fj * 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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