Samoa and the Pacific’s agricultural crops and trees are on the verge of major advancements, thanks to the recent finalisation of two pivotal frameworks.

Participants from 15 Pacific countries recently met in Fiji under the umbrella of the Pacific Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN) to finalise the PAPGREN Charter and the Pacific Seed System Roadmap.

The two documents will set the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Land Resources Division (LRD) Centre for Crops and Trees (CePaCT)’s work for the next five years (2024-2029), improving coordination and regional efforts to support and grow the Pacific’s largest genebank

SPC’s LRD Director Karen Mapusua emphasised the significance of the PAPGREN Charter as the cornerstone of its collaborative efforts, uniting its participants in their mission to conserve and sustainably use Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) in the region.

Concurrently, the Pacific Seed System Roadmap will guide regional strategies and align steps towards a more resilient agricultural future.

“As we embark on this journey, let us remember that our collective efforts will not only shape the future of agriculture in the Pacific but also have far-reaching implications for global food security and biodiversity conservation. We carry a significant responsibility on our shoulders, and it is a responsibility we embrace with dedication and resolve" said Ms Mapusua.

PAPGREN is a Pacific regional technical body supporting food and nutritional security outcomes in Pacific Island countries and territories. It operates as a professional network committed to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the Pacific’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA).

Representatives from international and regional partners, including the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Coconut Community (ICC), the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) and the online network platform, the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK) also participated in the meeting as key resource speakers and contributors.

Guy Redding, Lead Adviser from the Industry of Innovation, Development Economy, and Prosperity Division at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said, “In recognition of CePaCT’s role, in July 2022, then New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced NZ$10 million in funding as part of our wider NZ$1.3 billion for climate financing for the 2022 to 2025 period. We are providing NZ$5 million directly to CePaCT, enabling substantial increases in its technical and programme support staff and infrastructure investments.”

“We must invest in research for development to enhance our understanding of plant genetic resources and their potential applications. This includes studying the genetic traits of local crops and wild relatives, conducting breeding programs to develop resilient and high-yielding varieties, and exploring innovative techniques such as biotechnology and genomics to accelerate the conservation and utilisation of our plant genetic resources.”

Dr Elena Martin Avila, the Agricultural Specialist from the Agricultural Development and Food Security section under the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT’s) Climate Resilience and Finance Branch echoed similar sentiments.

“I enjoyed the discussions on coconut, the tree of life, breadfruit, banana, taro and many other agriculture forestry and resources. We hope to better harness the diversity across our Pacific region and ensure that our countries provide stronger support for the livelihoods of farmers that we represent.”

Dr Sarada Krishnan, Director of Programmes at the Crop Trust, added that crop diversity is fundamental to global crop adaptation and resilience, and genebanks are central to ensuring that genetic diversity is not lost forever.

"PAPGREN has played a key role in creating awareness on the importance of plant genetic resources conservation and use in the Pacific by linking to the work of CePaCT and the implementation of several regional PGRFA initiatives.” - she said.

Dr. Elena Martin Avila, Agricultural Specialist from the Agricultural Development and Food Security section under DFAT’s Climate Resilience and Finance Branch. 

Since its establishment in 1998,  CePaCT has conserved over 2,300 varieties of 70 crop and tree species in its facilities in Suva, Fiji. The Centre has additionally distributed 97,000 plant tissue cultures of 15 crops and 1000kg of seeds to  50 countries, including all 22 PICTs.