ACIAR has been part of the Pacific family since 1982. For more than 37 years, we have been funding and connecting Australian researchers with their counterparts throughout the Pacific, helping reduce poverty and improve food security.
Currently investing more than AUD$22million across nine countries, The Pacific Week of Agriculture is a valuable opportunity to meet and consult with our Pacific partners on current and future agricultural research to support a more resilient region.
In supporting Pacific Week of Agriculture’s 2019 theme, we are developing and implementing a regional 10-year strategy through close consultation with national and regional research and development agencies. The strategy will guide our medium and long-term focus in the region, with strategic direction and priorities being revisited every two years at the Pacific Week of Agriculture.
We will be organising and participating in a range of events throughout the week, focusing on specific research projects and initiatives, including:
Coconuts for Life: Partnerships for Coconut Rescue & Development
Coconuts contribute, directly or indirectly, to the livelihoods of around 5 million people living in coastal communities throughout the Pacific Islands. ACIAR will be joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Pacific Community (SPC) and other key stakeholders to discuss threats and challenges facing coconuts in the region and how solutions can be developed through partnerships and regional collaboration.
Plant Biosecurity: Australia and Pacific Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry
Access to international markets, food security and the economies of the Pacific are threatened by invasive pests and diseases. We’re funding research that will build plant biosecurity capacity in the Pacific to improve detection of emergent and invasive pest and disease problems while reducing disruption to existing agricultural commodity supply chains. Learn more about our plant biosecurity research in the Pacific.
Celebrating Agriculture in the News – Journalism Masterclass
Journalism in the Pacific is set to benefit from a new initiative helping professional communicators report on agricultural issues in the region. Run by the International Development branch of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABCID) and supported by ACIAR, the program will see 16 journalists take part in a media masterclass during the Pacific Week of Agriculture. Learn more about our journalism masterclass.
Leadership development program – ACIAR Alumni in the Pacific
Operating alongside the Pacific Week of Agriculture is a Leadership Development Program for Pacific alumni from the John Allwright Fellowship and our long-running University of South Pacific scholarship scheme. The program aims to provide enhanced management and leadership skills to alumni while allowing participants to attend key sessions at the PWA. Learn more about our leadership development program.
Join in Pacific Week of Agriculture
Pacific Week of Agriculture is taking place in Samoa on 30th September to 4th October 2019 at the Samoa Conference Centre in Apia.
You can follow the event via the official hashtag #pwasamoa2019 and find more information on the event’s website.
