PHAMA Plus inks ‘sweet’ deal with Gaston Chocolat CHOCOLATE exports from Vanuatu to Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States are expected to fetch premium prices following food safety certification improvements. The Australia and New Zealand funded Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus or PHAMA Plus Program has signed a partnership agreement with Vanuatu cocoa processor and exporter Gaston Chocolat to improve pre- and post-harvest handling of cocoa,

Add Your Heading Text Here PNG contains spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) Papua New Guinea (PNG) has implemented a rapid response effort to the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the provinces of Southern Highlands, Enga and Hela, which has significantly raised awareness of the disease and helped limit the spread beyond these declared provinces. PNG reported the first ASF incursion in Mendi, Southern Highlands on 28 March 2020; ASF has killed pigs across

Fiji Kava Ltd, an Australian-Fijian medicinal kava company producing natural ‘noble kava’ products, has partnered with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program to strengthen export opportunities for Fijian kava to Australia and other international markets.

Usaia Sausauwainivalu is driving the message that school leavers can consider kava farming as a potential career pathway. While kava farming is not a typical career choice for youth in Fiji, its high profitability is garnering interest among young people,particularly in rural areas, to establish careers as small-scale commercial farmers. In Kadavu, one of Fiji’s major kava growing areas, Usaia Sausauwainivalu, the farm manager at Vunisea Secondary School, is encouraging

The Fiji Kava Taskforce was yesterday encouraged to include more women and youth in its kava training activities. The call was made by Losalini Leweniqila, the National Coordinator for the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Plus Program* in Fiji, during a meeting of the Taskforce in Vunisea, Kadavu yesterday. Ms Leweniqila highlighted the need to have more women and youth participating in training activities for kava farmers and

ALLURING AROMA: THE RISE OF HIGH-VALUE COCONUT PRODUCTS The rich aroma of freshly cooked coconut oil travelled over the seas, piquing the curiosity and interest of explorers sailing along a coast in Papua New Guinea’s Central Province. The alluring scent drew them ashore, eventually earning the Aroma Coast its name. Hundreds of years later, the rich aroma of coconuts continues to serve the families and communities of Aroma Coast well,