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, March 29, 2007


    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:

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    Monday, March 12, 2007


    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:

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