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FAO’s support to build Tonga’s horticulture competitiveness began in earnest with the official opening of its inception workshop in Nuku’alofa in February. FAO in collaboration with the Ministry for Agriculture and Food & Forests aims to increase the efficiency of crops production, improve the price competitiveness of these foods relative to food imports, and contribute to their increased availability. “The development of the horticulture industry especially fruits and vegetables are among the...

The Government of Japan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will collaborate in a regional project to boost coastal fisheries and livelihoods. A signing ceremony between the Government of Japan and FAO took place at the FAO subregional office in Apia, Samoa on Monday. The Exchange of Notes is an agreement between Japan and FAO regarding regional funding for a project for enhancing livelihoods and food...

Farmers and farmers’ groups in Guadalcanal, Malaita and Temotu provinces in Solomon Islands have recently completed trainings on improve production and farm management practices. Technical topics such as rapid multiplication on taro and yam, seed saving, nursery managements, soil fertility management, composting, farm management and record keeping were covered during these three “Master Class training” workshops organized in Guadalcanal, Malaita and Temotu. Training materials on the mentioned topics were developed and...

Gaining knowledge in agriculture is crucial for young farmers to create job opportunities. A training workshop to build capacity of selected young farmers in agribusiness Management and contract farming which took place in Apia, Samoa. The workshop combines the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to address employment challenges for the youth of Samoa and build the capacity...

2018 signifies a major push forward for the Integrated Forest Management Project in the Solomon Islands. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) the project, which was approved in 2016, began implementation this year following the recruitment of most of the project personnel. The project is being implemented in country through FAO.    The project team with support from counterparts from the FAO Subregional Office in Samoa undertook four provincial and community...

Samson Mahit Haiton, a farmer from Vanuatu, traveled to Bangkok recently as one of five recipients of the Model Farmer Award presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). As countries around the world, including Vanuatu, wrapped up a week of observances in relation to World Food Day, FAO in the Asia-Pacific region convened a special ceremony to mark the achievements of farmers, fishers and pastoralists and...

Many challenges including urbanisation, globalisation and climate change have resulted in significant changes to the food environment, and consequently the health of Pacific Island populations. Many Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) currently face both chronic undernutrition and micronutrient deficiency, such as iron deficiency anaemia, with growing rates of obesity. Nine of the top ten countries in the world with the highest prevalence of diabetes are in the Pacific region. Under...

Youth and community farmers in Manono are gaining knowledge in agriculture, which is crucial to creating job opportunities. A three-day training workshop to build capacity of selected young and community farmers in agribusiness Management and contract farming ithat took place in Manono tai, Samoa. Experienced trainers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) stressed employment challenges for the you...

Geography undergraduate students from from the University of New South Wales, Australia recently visited the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Subregional office while on a study tour to learn about food systems and the role of FAO in Samoa. Assistant FAO Representative, Mr Philip Tuivavalagi welcomed the students and explained the long-term commitment FAO has to mainstreaming food security and nutrition. “Achieving food security for all is at the heart of...

Solomon Islands is developing its microbiological testing capacity of the National Public Health Laboratory for fish exports, and local food and water through a three year capacity building project, which is funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) of the World Trade Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).   The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) in Honiara, Solomon Islands is implementing the project...