FAO & SPC Support for Agriculture

Dr Vili Fuavao, Regional Director of Food & Agriculture Organization (Apia, Samoa) and Dr Viliame Fakava, South Pacific Community Biosecurity Adviser were on the beach for two days to meet with relevant government officials on sustaining the pathways to agri and marine business. Both gentleman of Tongan nationality spent a large proportion of their time with the Minister and Secretary of Agriculture. Minister Wigmore was please to learn of FAO streamlining their approval processes from Headquarters in Rome to regional office in Samoa by delegating powers for granting approvals to Dr Fuavao on the recent “online electronic” system. This is very different from handwritten processes where waiting time has become a concern for recipient countries.
Mr. Anthony Brown, Secretary of Agriculture has taken up forthright issues with the regional directors such as; Bio-security strengthening with regulations, cyclone assistance for the island people of Aitutaki taken up immediately after the cyclone struck, assistance to the Pawpaw Export Facility, bio-security pathways to new exports to NZ market such as lime, Haeboneo chili and breadfruit. Brown is please to announce that our very own Dr. Matairangi Purea is contracted to undertake the risk assessment for Lime for entry into NZ market, a task that is very essential but cumbersome for the chores of securing specialist services from abroad to prepare the inductive ground work. Dr. Purea has conducted services of this kind for Pacific islands while in service for FAO. Brown also shared how valuable it is to have another professional within the ministry of the stature of Dr. Purea, (who retired from 8 years of services with FAO one month ago) who is practical, sharp and highly employable throughout the region and internationally. Brown has also taken up with the regional directors, a pending Northern group project in vegetating the atoll islands with bananas utilising biological practices since the soil types of these islands require much building of humus and biological activity. The importance of the Banana to island people is due to it being a rich source of potassium, alternative carbohydrates, food security and dietary enhancements.
Talks at directorship level with international and regional counterparts are only fruitful pending leadership and dire commitment to follow up on things says Brown. Such is illustrated with Brown determined to pick up the cyclone assistance to Aitutaki Island within 3 weeks. “You cannot rest on your laurels and allow the official correspondents, and emails to do the follow up, you have got to get them in your door or even walk into their doors to get your assistance, otherwise you finish your term and end up with nothing coming your way at least within your lifetime” said Brown.
Brown is however satisfied that both officials showed keen commitment to the development proposals within the agricultural sector which warrant urgency and prompt actions and which are vital to national development.

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