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NEWS

Growing Tonga’s exports through enhanced fumigation services

May 7, 2024

Exporters in Tonga will soon benefit from improved access to timely fumigation services following a new partnership signed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF) and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program. Supported by Australia and New Zealand, PHAMA Plus is working with MAFF to enhance the capacity and efficiency of its fumigation services by revising the existing facility’s operational and safety procedures

PHAMA Plus Pounds the way for Kava Farmers in Samoa

April 9, 2024

‘Ava (kava in Samoan) farmers on the big island of Savaii in Samoa, will soon enjoy the benefits of being able to supply higher quality, processed ‘ava to their customers in domestic and export markets. Five commercial ‘ava farmers are partnering with the Australia and New Zealand supported Pacific Horticultural & Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program, to co-invest in improved processing facilities that will allow each farmer to

Women on the Frontline: Samantha Defies the Odds

March 28, 2024

Samantha Maeke has defied the odds — and societal expectations in her native Solomon Islands — to end up where she is today. She plays a prominent role in the country’s agribusiness sector as the Country Manager of the Australia and New Zealand-supported PHAMA Plus Program in Solomon Islands. Sam, as she is widely known, is one of four women country managers out of a total of seven who lead

National Ginger workshop to pave the way forward

March 21, 2024

Over the years, Fiji’s ginger industry has provided employment, sustained our farmers’ socio-economic livelihood, contributed significantly to our export earnings, and has been the main source of income for our local ginger suppliers and retailers. These were the remarks by Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Honourable Vatimi Rayalu when opening the National Ginger Workshop in Suva on Thursday 7 March, 2024. The workshop was facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture

Taking PNG speciality coffee to the world

March 4, 2024

Every drink of coffee enjoyed today carries stories untold. Stories of hardship, risk and sacrifice that wouldn’t normally be found on product packaging. Stories that help us better appreciate the journey and the people behind the fix. Located in Papua New Guinea’s mountainous Highlands region, Jiwaka Province is home to thousands of coffee-farming households. The journey of getting coffee cherries to the nearest coffee mill usually starts with a long

MAF partners with PHAMA Plus to address taro shortage in Samoa

February 14, 2024

From Left Samoa’s Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt, and PHAMA Plus Country Manager, Kuinimeri Finau during the official signing of the MOU. MAF partners with PHAMA Plus to address taro shortage in Samoa The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) has signed a new partnership with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program to address the reduction in supply of

Deepti’s Science Fair

February 9, 2024

Deepti Devi has been a member of a research team led by Prof. Pasinszki, conducting research across Kava-growing regions in Fiji. Deepti’s Science Fair Deepti Devi has always had a keen interest in science. As a young girl, Deepti conducted simple experiments at home out of curiosity. This interest led her to pursue her studies and a career in teaching science. Now, she’s pivoted from teaching to researching about kava

REVIVING THE ART OF ‘KAMAIMAI’

December 18, 2023

Nau and Takaniko Ruabete are coconut nectar suppliers on Rabi. REVIVING THE ART OF ‘KAMAIMAI’ The rich aroma of freshly cooked kamaimai, or coconut nectar, permeates through Takaniko and Nau Ruabete’s home in Buakonikai Village on Rabi Island. It’s a daily activity for the couple as they ready bottles of kamaimai made by extracting the sap of coconut blossoms, known as toddy tapping, which is then boiled to create a

Niue’s Taz Poultry Gains Insights with knowledge exchange mission

December 1, 2023

Taz Poultry owners Gaylene and John Tasmania visited one of the largest Chicken Feeds suppliers in Fiji – Pacific Feeds Limited. Niue is home to a family-owned business known as Taz Poultry, the island nation’s sole producer of local eggs. The poultry farm business, managed by couple John and Gaylene Tasmania, has been in operation since 2018. The business heavily relies on the importation of chicken feeds from New Zealand

NEW ORNAMENTAL VARIETIES TO BRING MORE BEAUTY TO SAMOA

September 22, 2023

New ornamental varieties to bring more beauty to Samoa New varieties of exotic orchids and ornamental plants have been introduced for cultivation in Samoa to bolster the country’s blooming ornamental horticulture sector. The move is part of a collaboration between the Australia and New Zealand-supported Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program and local grower groups – Fa’alapotopotoga Aiga Ma’ale’ale (FAMA) and Organic Mothers of the New Earth (OMONEA),

FNU launches new partnership with PHAMA Plus

July 7, 2023

The Fiji National University (FNU) and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program today launched a collaborative research initiative for locally grown kava. As part of efforts to improve the consistency and reliability of Fiji’s kava production and grow exports of quality kava products, FNU’s College of Engineering, Science and Technology and PHAMA Plus have partnered to conduct a study that looks at the kavalactone content

Better drying to boost kava quality

June 29, 2023

Better drying to boost kava quality Satuala Developments will soon see improvements in the processing of its kava with the installation of a solar dryer, following an agreement being signed with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) program. The Australia and New Zealand supported program is supporting Satuala to adopt a self-build solar dryer for their kava, which uses a greenhouse-style model that has proven successful

Solutions to Plastic Pollution

June 5, 2023

World Environment Day 2023 is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters. The steps governments and businesses are taking to tackle plastic pollution are the consequence of this action. The Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus) PHAMA Plus builds environmental sustainability and climate and disaster resilience in its program activities and interventions. To do this, PHAMA Plus is guided by its Environment, Climate, and

Partnership a boost to coconut nectar production in Rabi

June 1, 2023

Partnership a boost to coconut nectar production in Rabi Fijian business Marama Niu is boosting the production of coconut nectar as a healthier alternative to ordinary sugar, following a partnership with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus). The Australia and New Zealand supported collaboration looks to enhance the quality and standardisation of Marama Niu’s coconut nectar products for domestic and overseas markets. This provides sustainable

Turning bananas into chips in Niue

May 5, 2023

Turning bananas into chips in Niue In Niue’s humble industrious capital – Alofi, local entrepreneur Feofaaki Sakalia Fou can be found busy in her home kitchen, meticulously turning banana into chips. It has been the way of life for Feo, as she is commonly known, seeing her mother make and sell banana chips and now, her husband and children. This is the mainstay of their small family business called Lupe

Taking Abau cocoa from PNG to the world

May 5, 2023

Taking Abau cocoa from PNG to the world As a boy, Kingstan Kamuri spent many days traversing the ruins of old plantations along the coast of the Central Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Thanks to his father’s enthusiasm for the great outdoors, Kamuri developed a passion for hunting, trekking, and exploring the remains of what were once great farming estates in Abau. “I grew up seeing most of the

Brewing a better future for PNG coffee

May 2, 2023

Brewing a better future for PNG coffee The Papua New Guinea Coffee Industry Working Group (Coffee IWG) reconvened in Port Moresby on Tuesday 21 March, 2023 after a lapse of two years to discuss all things coffee. The meeting was jointly organised by the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC), Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program and the Australia–Papua New Guinea Economic Partnership (APEP). The meeting was attended

New multipurpose packhouse facility to boost Tonga’s root crops export

April 3, 2023

New multipurpose packhouse facility to boost Tonga’s root crops export Leading Tongan export business Lotopoha Export Trading will soon complete the construction of a multi-purpose packhouse facility for root crops following a new partnership signed recently with the Pacific Horticulture and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus). The partnership builds on PHAMA Plus’ prior collaboration with Lotopoha to improve Tonga’s root crops export capacity and meet increasing quality requirements

Q&A with Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni

March 8, 2023

Q&A with Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni Samoa’s Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni is a leader in her field, championing women and girls and advancing innovative practices and transformative technology that help forge positive change in Samoa and the Pacific. In 2008, Dr Molimau-Samasoni graduated from the University of Newcastle as an expert in biotechnology. On her return to Samoa, she played a crucial role in the establishment of an accredited laboratory at the

Solomon Islands launches new quality standard and industry group

December 1, 2022

In a milestone move for its emerging kava industry, the Solomon Islands today launched its National Kava Quality Standard and a Kava Industry Working Group (Kava IWG) with the support of the Australia and New Zealand funded Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) program. A first for the country, the kava quality standard and IWG mark a significant progress in the ongoing efforts to improve kava quality