Page 14 - IB Mar 2020

Agriculture
GENERATION FARMER

On sweltering day in Suva this month, a sea of proud
agriculture students decked out in bright blue graduation
gowns and salusalus (garlands) posed for selfies with their
families. Graduates of the Fiji National University’s Bachelor
of Science (Agriculture) program, they told us why they
studied agriculture.
“I’m from a farming background, my father is a farmer. So
that encouraged me to join the field of agriculture. I want to
pursue this in the field, so this was theory, I want to do it in
the field,” said Shayal from Fiji’s ‘salad bowl’, the fertile area Map of infested parts of Mangaliliu, Mangaliliu village, north of Efate Island, Vanuatu.
of Sigatoka.
Kelera, who originally hails from Lomaiviti, had similar Beating back the Pacific Rhino Beetle
motivations: “I love farming, I love vegetables, I love going
out to the field most of the time. I like to spend my time in
the farm. My father is a farmer, both my parents are farmers Agriculture graduate Kolonio in Suva this month. Photo: Samantha Magick The village of Mangaliliu, in northern Efate,
so if you will be a farmer you will be your own boss. Vanuatu is facing an invasion that threatens one of
“Probably I will start off looking for a job in Suva so I can a coconut juice syrup, after securing a government loan, but the most important sources of income for the entire
community. In 2019 locals began to see an increas-
raise some money then I’ll go back to the village and start a says many young people aren’t eligible for financial support. ing number of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (CRB)
business of my own, like farming vegetables… I love being my Tiona would like to see the age for accessing loans lowered, that appeared to be resistant to standard control
own boss, no one is telling you what you have to do, you have and business mentoring. measures.
your own money you can spend it on whatever you want.” Grants have enabled Niuean entrepreneur Feofaaki Sakalia Copra farmer Gabriel Paraso remembers being
In its 2017 report, The Future of Work, the International Fou to build a commercial processing kitchen and develop concerned that he could lose his entire livelihood.
Labour Organisation stated that the relative value added packaging for her snack products, negotiate prices with “We had only a little knowledge about the beetle
by the agricultural sector is significant, 22 per cent if PNG local farmers and secure markets in New Zealand. “Personal and no idea what the right solution to take to com-
bat its impact was, and we need to be educated on
is included and 15 per cent if it is not, and that in terms of development, as well as professional development, needs to how to get rid of these pests.”
employment by sector, agriculture employs an average of 67.3 be encouraged,” CTA reports her as saying. The coconut industry in Vanuatu has unique
per cent of workforces in Pacific Island countries. PHAMA’s Tanuvasa Semy Siakimotu says the kava boom is community-level value and is the second largest
The ILO contends that Pacific employment growth driving increased interest in young people in agriculture, and contributor to foreign exchange earnings, contribut-
opportunities lay in few key sectors: agriculture, forestry, better support for them. His advice for young agriculturalists? ing around 45% towards Vanuatu’s GDP. The Moses Amos , Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture,
mining, fishing, tourism and business process outsourcing. Its “Have a good plan, a watertight plan as to why you want to potential spread of this threat would have had a Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB),
at the beetle site in Mangaliliu, Vanuatu. Photo: Ministry of
authors write that agriculture continues to be the region’s get into farming. It’s not attractive for many reasons because devastating impact to the communities engaged in SPC Pest and Disease Management Adviser Fereti Agriculture, Vanuatu.
coconut farms, and to the nation as a whole.
main employer, absorbing the growing labour force: “There its hard work.” Vanuatu quickly gathered samples of the Atumurirava (left) with a Vanuatu Biosecurity officer in the
Vanuatu Biosecurity Lab. Photo: SPC LRD
is potential for formal employment in agriculture to expand, He also suggests emerging farmers align themselves with invaders and sent them to Landcare New Zealand
especially if PIC governments pursue strategies to support someone who is involved in farming already and is successful, to determine what exactly they were dealing with.
agricultural niche products, use ICT for agriculture, and and use their networks. “Maintain a good network that can The result was a huge relief to the authorities. The
expand linkages between agriculture and tourism.” add value to their business , to their venture as a farmer, Beatle was not the dreaded “Guam Biotype,” but
There are many national efforts to support young people and networks that have sound economic advice, marketing instead was identified as the “Pacific Biotype” of
coconut rhinoceros beetle. While still representing a
in agriculture; Tongan field schools, Fiji’s School Farm support and also transportation. If they have connections to significant threat, the Pacific Biotype is highly sus-
Competition and Young Farmers Business Incubation Scheme those services, I think they’re halfway there.” ceptible to biological controls which have proved
and the Papua New Guinea Youth in Agriculture Forum last Siakimotu says ministries of agriculture and their extension successful in managing the pests in Fiji, Samoa and
year. services can connect young people to other farmers facing Tonga.
Similarly its an area of interest for development agencies. similar challenges. “And looking at maintaining access to the Biosecurity Vanuatu reached out to the Pacific
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ran a innovations that are coming out around planting material, Community’s Land Resources Division (LRD) for Vanuatu Biosecurity officers trapping the beetle in its breeding Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRG) threaten local food security.
program aimed at engaging young people in Fiji and Vanuatu what seeds, what’s being rolled out that would be of value or assistance, and SPC, understanding the urgent need site using fine net. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture, Vanuatu. Photo: SPC LRD
for action, began a rapid response program.
in organic farming and addressing youth unemployment useful to them. Look out for programs like ours or government With support from the European Union funded
between 2016-2018, with mixed results. An evaluation departments who would like to work with them and they Coconut Industry Development for the Pacific climate change impacts, including invasive pests well as other invasive and exotic pests. At the same
on the UNDP website noted that working with youth only can become the lead in those countries where they are an (CIDP) project, SPC engaged technical expertise that pose a threat the most vulnerable populations. time, these projects will improve awareness around
is not a viable option as farming is a communal activity, example. Maintain professional contact with the university and financial help that enabled the Vanuatu authori- However, the region is taking action. A 3-year the livelihood implications and the potential impact
many farms are not used to organic farming practices and and other institutions.” ties to accurately map out the initial incursion site, project - ‘Pacific Awareness and Response to Co- of pest incursions.”
so need multiple, repeated training, and that there were For newly graduated agriculturalists like Kolinio in Fiji, its track the extent of the invasion and set up perimeter conut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) (PARC) Project’, After nearly a year of work by Vanuatu and
communications and connectivity issues. Tropical Cyclone all about preparing for the future beyond subsistence farming. control systems to halt the progress of the beetles. funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SPC, including close collaboration with stakehold-
Trade for New Zealand (MFAT) has been launched
The team carried out mass trapping, breed-
ers, public information efforts, mass trapping, field
Winston also slowed the program’s rollout, as participants “One of the things I want to share with my community is ing site clean-up, and biological control (the CRB to coordinate CRB work at regional and national sanitation, biological control and surveillance,
focused on rebuilding their homes. The program was that studying agriculture is not only about consumption, it strain in Vanuatu is susceptible to both virus and levels, instill regionally consistent CRB biosecurity the advance of the coconut rhinoceros beetle in
extended until the end of 2019, with the results yet to be also deals with economic wise, and also some of the things I fungus). SPC also supported and strengthened regulations implement surveillance, containment, Vanuatu has now been contained, and officials are
released. will go back to my village to see certain diseases and certain coordination of the field response, which relies on and eradication; and ensure the efficient and effec- confident that it can be eradicated from the country.
In a blog for the European-funded Technical Centre for pathogens I’m also telling them some of the ways they can a robust system of communication between people tive communication at national and regional levels. For copra farmer Gabriel Paraso, the coordi-
Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA), young Pacific overcome it. in the field, managers, and government officials, SPC’s LRD Director Mr. Jan Helsen believes nated action to tackle the beetle and the new knowl-
‘agripreneurs’ talked about what they need to be able to “It’s what we put in our stomach, that’s why we encourage building capacity in all areas and activities of the that projects like CIDP and PARC are serving an edge has left him feeling empowered. “Coconut is
invaluable role for the entire region, “As a result
part of our lives; what can we do? You know you
Vanuatu Biosecurity Staff.
succeed in agriculture. For example, Noah Laxton Tiona other people to study agriculture…it’s the second or third In a region of small island archipelagos spread of these projects, the Pacific region will be better can’t just sit and cry over spilt milk, you have to do
from Solomon Islands started his business selling kaimaimai, backbone of our economy.” across the world’s largest ocean, the agriculture and prepared to detect a CRB incursion, and better something.”
forest sectors are faced with a variety of debilitating equipped to respond to the rhinoceros beetle and as SPC Land Resources Division
14 Islands Business ,March 2020