Markets and trade
 

Activities in the Pacific region

Cross commodity
  Trade Opportunity Scan for the Pacific group of Countries by FAO and ITC

Three subregional training workshops on implementing chain studies for agricultural and food products were held under the Italian funded project “Support to the Regional Programme for Food Security (RPFS) in the Pacific Island Countries”. Sponsorship of delegates’ attendance was provided by the RPFS and the All ACP Agricultural Commodities Programme.


To foster learning by doing, FAO also supported national consultants to participate in a region wide case study exercise on “Agriculture as an Engine of Growth”. These case studies document policies that have been supportive in episodes of successful value chain development. The case studies are:

  • Vanuatu Organic Cocoa Growers Alliance
  • Nature’s Way Co-operative in Fiji
  • Samoan Noni industry
  • Solomon Islands Floriculture

The synthesis report was endorsed at the FAO South West Pacific Ministers for Agriculture meeting held in Niue. The synthesis report,with the associated case studies as annexes is available on the FAO Pacific sub-regional office website:

  FAO (2010) Agriculture for Growth: Learning from experience in the Pacific. FAOSAP, Samoa

Fruit and vegetable transport to the market in the Pacific. Photo: FAO/H.Bammann

Fruit and vegetable sector
At a Fruit and Vegetables Sector Strategy development workshop in Nadi, Fiji, in November 2008, discussions highlighted that the demand for fruits and vegetables is not met because of supply constraints such as low quality produce, limited capacity of farmer organizations, non-transparent market information, limited farmer-buyer links, and limited access to equipment, extension services and finance. Participants suggested that collection and grading centres could improve the linkages and potentially generate higher returns throughout the chain. FAO commissioned a study to assess the feasibility of establishing such centres.

Veit, R. (2009) Assessing the Viability of Collection Centres for Fruit and Vegetables in Fiji: A Value Chain Approach. FAO AAACP Paper Series – No. 7

A study was commissioned to identify and evaluate the relative importance of the key constraints faced by stakeholders involved in the development of representative fruit (papaya and breadfruit) and vegetable (head cabbage and tomatoes) value chains in Samoa. This study served as a basis for developing implementable activities in support of the Samoan Fruit and Vegetable Sector Strategy.
Tamasese, E. (2009) An Analytical Study of Selected Fruit and Vegetable Value Chains in Samoa. FAO AAACP Paper Series – No. 10

Policy makers: