A blog maintained by Tevita Kete, PGR Officer Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji Islands
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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
PAPGREN partners Mr William Wigmore Mr Adelino S. Lorens Dr Lois Englberger Mr Apisai Ucuboi Dr Maurice Wong Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane Mr Frederick Muller Mr Herman Francisco Ms Rosa Kambuou Ms Laisene Samuelu Mr Jimi Saelea Mr Tony Jansen Mr Finao Pole Mr Frazer Bule Lehi Other CROP agencies Pacific biodiversity Other Pacific organizations Pacific news Interested in GIS?
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Sunday, June 01, 2008 Posted 2:09 PM by Tevita
SPREP and SPC support the Pacific delegation to the world’s biggest biodiversity conference. From : SPREP Media Bonn, Germany - Pacific islands delegates are working together this week at the 9th Conference of the Parties for the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD COP9). The work of the delegations is supported by several Pacific intergovernmental organisations. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) were joined by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) to provide technical assistance to the Pacific islands delegates for the agricultural and forest biodiversity issues that were discussed. This is the first time that the SPC have attended this conference. “It is great to have our sister CROP agency assisting the Pacific. They offer expertise on issues that are important to the Pacific. SPC being here has been a big help in getting our issues across in two areas that would not have been adequately tackled.” Said Ana Tiraa, SPREP’s Island Biodiversity Officer who is currently in Bonn, Germany attending CBD COP9. The issue of agricultural and forest biodiversity was recognised as an important priority during the Pacific meeting in April. Participants there developed a strategy aimed at giving the Pacific region a stronger voice at the CBD COP9. Dr Mary Taylor, SPC Coordinator of Genetic Resources, and Cenon Padolina, Regional Forest Genetic Resources Officer of SPC, attended the conference to provide technical advice and support to the Pacific delegation. Pacific delegates at CBD COP9 generally come from environment departments rather than agricultural ministries. “It will definitely benefit agricultural biodiversity in the Pacific, as well as SPC. Now that we’ve made links with the environment people in the Pacific, we can help the environment and agricultural units within Pacific countries to work together in order to get the Agricultural biodiversity programme of work underway,” said Dr Taylor. Having provided technical support to the Pacific delegation during the first week of CBD COP9, Dr Taylor will work on ideas to put together a proposal with some of the Pacific countries that will implement certain parts within the agricultural biodiversity programme of work. “This is a great opportunity for us to attend, by doing so we can help member countries in addressing their sustainable forest concerns at the meeting,” said Padolina, who will remain in Bonn, Germany until the end of the CBD COP9. For more information, contact Nanette Wooton, SPREP’s Associate Media and Publications Officer currently in Bonn, by email at nanettew@sprep.org. |
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Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives.
PestNet: For on-line
information, advice and pest identification for the Pacific and beyond.
Contact: Grahame Jackson.
Pacific Mapper: For on-line
mapping of point data over satellite images of the Pacific provided by Google Maps.
DIVA-GIS: For free, easy-to-use
software for the spatial analysis of biodiversity data.
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