Overview
This project aimed to increase the level of agricultural biosecurity achieved by partner countries in the Pacific region.
Access to international markets, food security and the economies of the Pacific are threatened by invasive pests and diseases. These include a wide range of both established and emerging pests and diseases with country specific and regional impacts.
The impacts of interruptions to agricultural export chains fall particularly severely on smallholder farmers and their communities, who have few financial reserves to fall back on and limited alternatives to which they can turn for income generation.
This program will build plant biosecurity capacity in the Pacific and Timor-Leste through experiential learning and problem-solving including placements with Australian biosecurity agencies and by creating an ongoing community of practice focusing on country and regional level needs and opportunities.
Project outcomes
- Increased individual and organisational capacity of biosecurity stakeholders, in the public and private sectors – along with various organisational arrangements, tools and materials to support that increase in capacity.
- Improved performance of the biosecurity ‘system’ in the region.
- Improved detection of emergent and invasive pest and disease problems and reduced risk of further invasions.
- Reduced disruption to existing agricultural commodity supply chains associated with biosecurity compliance issues, leading to greater profitability and more stable revenues.
- Greater and more stable income for smallholder farmers and communities involved in agricultural commodity production and exports and improved food security.
