Samoa dealing with ‘taro trouble’
Taro, a Samoan staple food, has been on the decline for the last few years and as a result the prices have soared and supply to the local markets has dropped. This has also seen many Samoans consume less of the healthy
Research for Development of an Indigenous Nut Industry
The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is taking a whole value chain approach to developing an agricultural industry of an indigenous nut commonly called galip from the tree
EU highlights commitment to improving regional trade at Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry
Nadi, Fiji The EU SAFE Pacific (Safe Agricultural Trade and Facilitation through Economic Integration) project played an integral role in the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF) held from 6 – 10 March in
Building a vision for Pacific agriculture
The lack of a regional vision for agriculture and forestry is “one of our biggest challenges”, says the Director of the Land Resources Division of the Pacific Community, Karen Mapusua. But this is poised to change,
Ovalau Agro PV Project: A model for Fiji
Four more Agrophotovoltaic (APV) projects are planned for Fiji, according to the developer of the Ovalau APV, which is currently in the final stages of negotiations, with construction planned for early next year. “We
Sweet Career: High-sugar and High-yielding Sugarcane Production Technology
Sugarcane, as an important cash crop in the tropics, has influenced world economic development and human migration. It is an important sweet source for human beings. By mainly introducing the modern sugarcane production
King of Fruit Trade: Banana Cultivation and Management Technology
Banana, as the most widely traded fruit in the world, is an important cash crop in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions. This course, which focuses on techniques of banana cultivation and
Protecting the Pacific from Foot and Mouth Disease
Earlier this year, alarming reports came out of Indonesia about an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). As of 2nd July, Indonesia recorded 313,636 infected cattle, with over 2,700 deaths. [1] What is FMD? FMD is a
Aumua’s Challenge: Fund agriculture for nutrition, inclusion, survival
The international community has been urged to invest in agricultural innovation in a way that includes traditional practitioners and acknowledges the interconnectedness of agriculture with nutrition, culture, climate
Pacific Community’s Agricultural Gene Bank wins Global Award
The Pacific region, where most people depend on agriculture and fisheries for sustenance and income, is now one step ahead in food security, Inter Press Service reports. The region’s agricultural gene bank,
Reviving Cacao in Fiji: Arif Khan
A founder of an award-winning cacao company in Fiji says more should be done to revive the nation’s cocoa industry. Formerly a real-estate agent, Arif Khan founded Cacao Fiji in the lush hills of Dreketi because he
PNG proposed carbon credit law queried
Hiri-Koiari MP Keith Iduhu has asked in Papua New Guinea Parliament for an update on a proposed amendment by the Forestry Authority to include forestry produce under its authority. This would include classifying carbon
New parametric insurance products launched
In early August, Salaseini Koroi, a schoolteacher turned cane farmer, sent two tonnes of harvested cane to Lautoka mill. It was the culmination of a year’s hard work in the fields of Lautoka, in Fiji’s western
Milk goats and soaps
From her garage-turned-lab, entrepreneur Beatrice Nast is creating Fiji’s first soap made from pure goat milk. The current president of the Society of Fiji Travel Associates, Nast has worn many hats during her tourism
Help from Above: ‘AgWorld’ App Aids Farm Management in Tonga
From the clouds fall the rains that bring much welcomed moisture and nutrients for farmers the world over. But for a group of growers on the island kingdom of Tonga, a cloud of the virtual kind offers a whole new world
From Farm to Table to Memory
Hidden inside the golf course on Denarau is a burgeoning farm. Fiji National University graduate Shahil Ram has been managing the plot for the Marriott group for a year, and despite suffering a slight setback because of
Vee’s Organic Farms: Down to earth, still atop the world
The story could have ended with a flight attendant being told she would never walk or talk again, simply being grounded, but Vitila Vuniwaqa hopes to inspire others with chapters in which she
PNG’s booming horticulture industry worth K3 billion
Papua New Guinea’s horticulture and fresh produce industry is estimated to be worth more than K3 billion (US$854 million) but there is potential for expansion, Fresh Produce Development Agency general manager Mark
Farmers need to be part of disaster risk talks
At risk of ‘unintended effects’ of climate policies: World Farmers Organisation Farmers could be hurt by the very actions that are meant to help them if they are not in the room when disaster risk reduction
Cook Islands retrace its breadfruit roots
A breadfruit revival of sorts is underway in Cook Islands, revitalising, or re-popularising breadfruit orchards on the archipelago.
Vanuatu students learn to farm and save
By Len Garae Vanuatu’s government would like to see all Agriculture Farming Rural Training Centres copy the approach of NAPIL Farming Rural Training Centre, a rural community agriculture school where it is compulsory
A trip to Tanna
By Len Garae The thousands of people who converged on Laminu Stadium on Tanna Island for the recent National Week of Agriculture were living proof that Vanuatu is ready to produce, value-add and market its agricultural
Kava: brewing up a storm
There’s a storm brewing over the Pacific as the region’s kava industry watches a gradually unfolding situation in the North Queensland city of Bundaberg. Known more for its sugar cane and famous rum, the city has
