World Conference on Horticultural Research - 17-20 June 1998 in Rome, Italy

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REPORT ON CURRENT STATE OF HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS

PACIFIC ACP COUNTRIES :

FIJI, KIRIBATI, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, TONGA TUVALU, VANUATU AND WESTERN SAMOA.

P. Sivan
Associate Professor
USP, Alafua, Western Samoa.

PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Pacific island economies are generally poor and are predominantly dependent on agriculture, tourism, and foreign aid. The systems of agriculture practised vary from traditional (subsistence) to high input production systems. However, the majority of the farmers probably fall within the two extremes in what may be termed moderate input systems. Although the farming systems may vary from country to country in the region and from place to place in a country, they have enough in common to be treated and analysed together.

In traditional systems, the main crops grown are root crops (various taro species, yams, cassava and sweet potato) which are generally grown in an agroforestry system with other food crops such as bananas and plantains, breadfruit, coconut, other fruits, nuts, vegetables, medicinal plants, and other plants that provide raw material for housing, handicraft and fuel wood. Over 50 plant species have been identified to have major importance in the agroforestry in the Pacific islands. In the moderate input systems, mixed cropping is generally still used but the emphasis is placed on ropping is generally still used but the emphasis is placed on one or more cash crops for sale in local markets or export. From a production point of view, higher yield per unit of land area is obtained in this system through added inputs of chemicals and fertilizers, but due to short fallow periods and in some cases continuous cropping, problems of maintaining soil fertility and soil degradation are becoming critical. These problems become more acute in high input systems where one or two crops are continuously cropped on the same land.

As agriculture becomes more commercialized to produce food for local markets and for export, there is urgent need to develop sustainable farming systems for the Pacific islands. Chemicals and fertilizers are often expensive and difficult to obtain and their effects on the fragile ecosystem of small islands are of great concern. Fruit crops being generally long term in nature offer opportunities for use in sustainable agroforestry systems in the Pacific islands. Over use of energy rich and nutritionally poor local and imported foods are having marked detrimental effects on the health of Pacific islanders. Fruit and vegetable production and their use need to be increased to improve the nutrition of the people. With the development of tourism in the Pacific islands, there is increasing demand for fruits and vegetables which is currently largely met by importation. Fruits and vegetables also offer opportunities for export tbles also offer opportunities for export to Pacific rim countries, particularly, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Japan to earn much need foreign exchange. To improve production of horticultural crops, a number of areas that need particular attention are :

low productivity, poor quality products and lack of organized production,
pest and disease problems especially for export.
quarantine to minimize the risk of introduction of new diseases and pests,
agricultural research, information and extension services are often poor due to lack of manpower, technological expertise and funding,
lack of established links with IARCs and NARs for technical information, and
need for training to ensure the long-term sustainability of technological achievements.

HORTICULTURAL CROPS

1. Bananas and Plantains

The major problem with bananas and plantains is black leaf streak disease which has substantially reduced production and destroyed the banana export trade from the Pacific islands. However, bananas and plantains still remain an important food crop. With improved cultivars there may be some scope to revive the banana industry. ACIAR (AusAID) and International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) have been assisting with introduction and screening of some resistant cultivars. A few psting with introduction and screening of some resistant cultivars. A few promising cultivars have been identified in Tonga and Western Samoa. This work needs to be continued and extended to other countries in the region. Contact with banana breeding centres elsewhere needs to be maintained and assistance sought to introduce and test more improved genetic materials.

Current research activities include screening introduced varieties for black leaf streak disease (Cook Islands, Tonga, and Western Samoa) and fungicide trials to control this disease (Papua New Guinea)

2. Tropical Fruits.

Fruit species found in the region are very limited. The main fruits grown in the region are mangoes, citrus, papaya, pineapple and passion fruit. Tropical fruits are generally grown in home gardens or gathered from the bush but there is considerable scope to develop their production in the region. There is also a number of indigenous fruit species that could be exploited better to meet the food need and improve nutrition. There is need to select good indigenous varieties and introduce improved varieties of a range of fruits from outside the region (e.g. Southeast Asia and Northern Australia) and extend these to the farmers. One major problem is that many fruits are very seasonal and there is need to select species and cultivars to extend the availability in the markets. FAO, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and other aid projects have been assisting the couother aid projects have been assisting the countries in the region in this area.

There appears to be good prospect for exporting some tropical fruits to New Zealand, Australia and Japan provided quarantine requirements are met. At present Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji export small quantities of fruits mainly papaya, banana, mango, pineapple and watermelon to New Zealand. Exports from these countries have become possible through development of forced hot air treatment facilities to disinfest the produce. Tonga and Fiji are trying to enter the large Japanese market for papaya and mango. There is need for improved technologies to produce high quality fruits for these export markets. Other major areas requiring attention for export of fruits are control of fruit flies in the field, identification of existing species and disinfection of fruits before export. USAID, AusAID and FAO have provided assistance to control fruitflies in the region but further work in these areas needs to be continued.

Current research works with fruits include the following :

citrus : evaluation of varieties and rootstocks, and biological control of fruit piercing moth (Fiji, and Western Samoa).
mango : evaluation of local and introduced varieties for local and export markets (Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa), plant nutrition, and flower initiation and fruit set by use of hormones (Fiji).
papaya : improve production mnes (Fiji).
papaya : improve production methods of Hawaiian Solo varieties for export through studies on improvement of production and quality through nutrition, irrigation and control of lumpiness in fruits (Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga, and Western Samoa).
pineapples : evaluation of varieties and development of improved production methods (Fiji)
vanilla : organic farming (Tonga) and control of viruses (Fiji)

In addition to these, many countries have small programmes to introduce and evaluate a range of fruits. However, these programmes are greatly constrained by lack of expertise, funds and linkages with sources of information and improved materials.

3. Nuts and Spices.

A number of countries in the region have been trying to develop tropical nuts and spices. An ADB feasibility study identified canarium nut, Brazil nut and a large seeded terminalia nut species from Papua New Guinea as having commercial potential. The Solomon Islands has been investigating the possibility of growing canarium nut for oil production and export. Peanut is widely grown in the region. The major problem with this crop is rust and there is need to introduce rust resistant varieties. Vanilla is very successfully grown in Tonga, and with some limited success, in Fiji. The ADB study identified black pepper as another potential spice crop which has large international demand. These need to bep which has large international demand. These need to be followed up.

Apart from some research work in canarium nut in Solomon Islands, peanut rust in Fiji and spices in Papua New Guinea, there is little other research work on these crops in the region.

4. Vegetables

With the possible exception of Fiji, the range of vegetables grown in the region is very limited. There is need to extend the range of vegetables grown in the region to improve the nutrition of the people. This, however, will need to be coupled with the nutrition education programmes as the local are not used to eating many vegetables. Important traditional vegetables grown in the region are taro (for leaves), and bele (Hibiscus esculentus). A range of other tropical and temperate vegetables is grown to a limited extent. These include crops belonging to the Solanaceae family (tomato, eggplant capsicum, chili, and potato), Curcubitaceae family (cucumber, squash and melons), cabbages, lettuces, beans etc. The main problem with vegetable production is that most of the varieties grown in the region are very susceptible to diseases (bacterial wilt, viruses) and pests, and not well adapted to high temperatures prevailing in the region. There is need to introduce more adaptable varieties for the tropical conditions and make provision to grow and distribute seeds of varieties suited to the tropics.

Small quantities of vegetables (e.g. squash, ok

Small quantities of vegetables (e.g. squash, okra and eggplant) are exported from Fiji and Tonga to the growing Asian communities in Australia and New Zealand. Fiji is also investigating the possibility of exporting vegetable type pigeon pea and soya bean. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are also exported in small quantities. There is potential to develop these markets further.

Fiji has an ongoing programme to introduce and test elite cultivars from various sources including AVRDC and various seed companies and to produce seeds locally for distribution to farmers. Such programmes are less well developed or non existent in other Pacific islands. European Union has been assisting Tuvalu and Kiribati to develop production systems for vegetable production using compost and mulch on atolls and to develop seed production systems for the Pacific islands in general. Research work in these areas needs to be strengthened.

5. Root Crops

Taro, yams, sweet potato and cassava are the major food crop grown in the region. Taro is the most preferred crop but its production is threatened by several diseases and pests. Taro leaf blight has almost completely wiped out taro in Western Samoa and it is also a serious disease in Solomon Islands and Papua new Guinea. Taro beetle and two viruses diseases also threaten this crop. Only a limited number of species and cultivars of yams are grown in the region, and anthracnosf yams are grown in the region, and anthracnose is a major disease of this crop. There is need to introduce higher yielding and disease resistant cultivars from outside the region to develop this crop. With sweet potato, the main problems are scab diseases and sweet potato weevil, and there is need to develop resistant varieties. There is no major problem with cassava production in the region.

Root crops, especially taro has become an important export crop for Fiji, Tonga and Cook Islands. There appears to be a growing market for these crops in Australia and New Zealand among the growing numbers of Pacific islanders who have settled there.

Papua New Guinea and Western Samoa have started small breeding programmes to develop cultivars resistant to taro leaf blight. There is need for a much greater effort to control this serious disease of the favourite food crop of the Pacific islands. European Union has been assisting to evaluate the large germplasm of sweet potato in Papua New Guinea for scab disease. Most of the Pacific islands have some programmes to develop root crops in their country but they are poorly funded and lack linkages with IARCs and NARs that have improved materials and technologies for these crops. The European Union has also been assisting to develop tissue culture facilities in the region to clean and provide disease free material for introduction. This is an extremely important service because Pacific islands duemportant service because Pacific islands due to their isolation are relatively free of diseases and pests and any introduction made into the region has to free of diseases and pests.

6. Ornamental crops

Fiji and Western Samoa have recently been involved in developing ornamental plants to export cut flowers and to provide the local tourist industry. This generally in the hands of private sector, some of who are small growers who do not have access for technology from abroad. There appears considerable to develop this industry to export cut flowers to neighbouring more developed countries such as Australia, New Zealand and USA and to supply the local tourist industry.

RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS

1. Regional Institutions

There are two regional institutions involved in research and development of agriculture in the region :

(i) School of Agriculture and the Institute of Research Extension and Training in Agriculture of the University of the South Pacific (USP) based in Western Samoa.

The USP has research programmes in development of root crops and production of vegetables in the South Pacific region. It also implements two projects funded by Pacific Regional Agriculture Programme (PRAP) (Farming Systems Project and Tissue Culture Project) and an International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM) project for management of sl Research and Management (IBSRAM) project for management of sloping lands. These projects include development horticultural crops.

(ii) South Pacific Commission (SPC).

The Agriculture Section of SPC based in Fiji has a number of projects to assist in the development of agriculture in the region. It includes a PRAP project to control taro beetle and provide assistance in quarantine matters.

2. Regional Projects

Apart from the regional institutions there are a number of other organizations that provide assistance on regional basis :

(i) Pacific Regional Agricultural Programme (PRAP)
Funded by the European Union, and based in Fiji, the second phase (valued at 9 265 000 ECUs for 1994 -1987 period) of this programme consists of 11 projects implemented in collaboration with the regional institutes or the Department of Agriculture of regional countries. The projects that involve horticultural crops are listed below. The name of collaborating agency is given in brackets.

Project 1 : Farming systems in low lands (USP)
Project 3 : Seed and planting material (Dept. Agric., Fiji)
Project 4 : Selection trials and dissemination of sweet potato cultivars (Dept. Agric., PNG)
Project 5 : Taro beetle control (SPC)
Project 6 : Atoll farming systems (Dept. Agric., Kiribati)
Project 7 : Provision of tissue culture services for the region (USP)
Project 9 : Agricultural information the region (USP)
Project 9 : Agricultural information support (SPC)
Project 11 : Agricultural rural development (SPC)

Each of these projects generally includes one technical advisor, at least one local advisor and a number of technical assistants. Most of these projects are due to end 1997 or 1998.

(ii) International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM)
IBSRAM's PACIFICLAND Programme for management of sloping land has projects in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, and Western Samoa. The programme includes development of production systems for various crops including horticultural crops. The programme has a coordinator based in Fiji and local project staff in the countries mentioned above.

(iii) Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
ACIAR provides assistance through Australian research institutions to regional research programmes, some of which include horticultural crops. Some recent projects have included control of black leaf streak in bananas, nutrition of root crops and biological control of pests.

(iv) FAO/UNDP
FAO has a sub-regional office based in Western Samoa and it provides assistance in specific areas both regionally and directly to the countries. Recent assistance from FAO has included the control of fruitflies in the region and developments of fruit crops in Western Samoa.

3. Bilateral Aidn Samoa.

3. Bilateral Aid

Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan and France provide bilateral aid to countries in the region. Some of the aid is in agricultural and involves horticultural crops. For instance, AusAID Farming System Project in Western Samoa and the Soil and Crop Evaluation Project in Fiji provide support for development of fruits, vegetables and root crops. New Zealand provides some support for control of fruitflies and development of treatment procedures for export of fruits and vegetables.

4. National Agricultural Research Organizations.

All countries have research stations funded by the government. However, these vary in size from a few research scientists in small countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati to about 30 in Fiji and 60 in Papua New Guinea. These scientists work in a range of crops and livestock. It is difficult to assess without proper investigation, the country programmes in horticulture, and how many of these scientists and how much fund is devoted to horticultural research in each country. Some country research programmes and their priority areas for research are briefly outlined below :

(i) Fiji : Research Division of Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries.
The main objectives of the Research Division for horticultural crops are to increase production and quality of tropical fruits, vegetables, and root crops for local (including the fles, and root crops for local (including the fast developing tourist market) and export markets. Priority is given to mango, papaya and pineapples for export and citrus, particularly orange, for local market. In vegetables, the main objective is to consolidate and intensify year round vegetable production for local consumption and export. In root crops, the main objective is to develop taro, kava (Piper methysticum) and ginger for local market and export. Research is also conducted on the control of fruitflies and quarantine treatment of fruits and vegetables for export.

(ii) Western Samoa : Research Division of Ministry of Agriculture, Forest, Fisheries and Meteorology.
The main emphasis in research is to improve bananas and plantains for local markets and increase the range and production of fruits and vegetables for local consumption. In root crops, the main emphasis is to breed taro for resistance to taro leaf blight.

(iii) Tonga : Research Division of Ministry of Agriculture and Forest of Tonga
Improve squash production, particularly by control of diseases for export to Japan. Improve banana, watermelon and other fruit production. Improve tomato, taro and potato production for export. Improve quarantine treatment for desinfestation against fruit flies to allow fruit and vegetable exports.

(iv) Kiribati and Tuvalu : Department of Agriculture
Improve fruits, vegetables and root ure
Improve fruits, vegetables and root crops production through use of mulch and organic materials in atoll soils. Increase the range of fruits and vegetables to improve the nutrition of the people.

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