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In Tonga, four community project sites have been busy learning about how to adopt integrated farming systems based on the ecosystem services in their agricultural landscape since  the introduction of the Ridge to Reef (R2R) FAO Integrated Lands and Agroecosystem Management System (ILAMS) to Tonga project. Four community project sites have been busy learning about how to adopt integrated farming systems based on the ecosystem services in their agricultural landscape.  ...

The week of 27 November witnessed four days of intense review of FAO’s five-year programme 2013 to 2017 for 14 Pacific Island countries,  lessons learnt, success stories and challenges for the next five-year plan that will start in 2018, not to mention an end of year party that included an unforgettable group communication activity and Hula dancing.   Over 40 colleagues gathered at the office in Apia, including National Programme...

A team from FAO, led by Sub-Regional Coordinator, Eriko Hibi visited the Food Technology Laboratory at the University of the South Pacific (USP) recently.   During the visit, a variety of food products which were on display during the Open Day celebration held earlier this year were shown to the team by Food Technology Consultant, Prof. Lutgarda S. Palomar. Prof Palomar gave explanations on some of the products such as,...

The Government of Vanuatu and FAO are furthering their partnership to promote contract farming as a means to coordinate links between farmers and agribusiness firms.   A Contract Farming training workshop on – planning and implementing Contract Farming operations in Vanuatu was held from September 20 – 22 in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The training included a half day field visit.   A total of 22 participants (including 10 from outer...

The Government of Fiji has formally agreed to host the 34th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations announced today. The hosting arrangements for the 34th APRC were formalized in the Fijian capital Suva following the signing of a Memorandum of Responsibilities by Fiji’s Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Inia Seruiratu, and Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific....

Training for Biosecurity Officers to increase their capacity in tackling biozoonotic diseases was recently held in Suva, Fiji.  The training workshop was held as part of a larger effort of BAF to effectively address the spread of zoonotic diseases not only endangering human and animal health but also having potentially grave economic consequences. The spread of biozoonotic diseases, which can be harmful to both animals and humans, is a threat that...

FAO emphasized its support for the breadfruit industry at the Pacific and Global Breadfruit Summit which was recently held in Samoa. The two-day Summit brought together Professors, Scientists, Food analysts, Economists and Farmers in Samoa and was co-funded by FAO.   The Subregional Coordinator of FAO, Eriko Hibi, spoke about the importance of the summit.   “It is significant that the Government of Samoa has chosen this occasion, at the...

The Government of Tonga and FAO are furthering their partnership to promote contract farming as a means to coordinate links between farmers and agribusiness firms.   A Contract Farming training workshop on – planning and implementing Contract Farming operations in Tonga – was held in September in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. The training included a half day field visit.   A total of 23 participants (including 10 from outer islands) from the...

FAO SAP Coordinator for the Pacific Islands, Ms. Eriko Hibi and a team of FAO technical staff visited the School of Agriculture and Food Technology (SAFT) and the Institute of Research, Extension & Training in Agriculture (IRETA) Farm at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Samoa. The main purpose of their visit was an opportunity for FAOSAP technical staff to look at the SAFT facilities and programs as well...

Climate change poses an alarming threat to food systems and food security in the Pacific islands, warned leaders of nine small island developing states (SIDS), representatives of regional development bodies, New Zealand and Australia at a meeting chaired by FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today. The meeting took place ahead of the Pacific leaders' participation at the UN Climate Conference COP23 in Bonn, and culminated in the leaders signing a...