Fiji National Key Stakeholders Meeting on Food Safety
Regulations 2009 and Food Safety Act 2003
Implications for Tourism Food Suppliers

19-20 November, 2015 (1.5 day) National Agricultural Policy Awareness & Consultation Workshop, in Honiara. The launch of the new Solomon Islands Agricultural Policy Bank will take place on the afternoon of the first day of the workshop.

The agriculture sector plays an important role in Fiji’s economy. It offers both employment and opportunities for sustaining livelihoods and there are strong linkages between the sector and the rest of the economy. Fiji requires an inclusive development framework for its agriculture economy to move forward by addressing new domestic and global challenges in line with food and nutrition security, climate change, feedstock for renewable energy, the utilization of water resources for aquaculture, agriculture export and the rehabilitation of its traditional agriculture export industries, the sugarcane and the coconut industries.

The meeting, entitled“Strategic Planning for Agriculture and Fisheries Statistics in the Pacific Island Countries”,will promote improved knowledge and the latest developments from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations project, the Global Strategy to improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics and the World Programme of Census of Agriculture 2020.

A four day event organised by Papua New Guinea Women In Agriculture Development Foundation (PNG WiADF) in partnership with Pacific Islands Farmer's Organisation Network (PIFON) to bring together regional Farmer Organisations, private sector partners, entrepreneurs and public sector women.

Agriculture is the backbone of many Pacific Island economies. New rapidly emerging domestic and global challenges require Pacific Island countries to quickly respond and to constantly review their policies.

The agriculture sector has great potential as an engine of growth and poverty reduction in the Pacific Islands region. Governments have a key role to play in enabling the sector to achieve its potential, including through the setting of an appropriate policy framework, and well targeted public expenditure.

The purpose of the consultation workshop is to bring together REAS from the PICTs and key stakeholders to explore ways of strengthening REAS capacity in order to effectively support farmers to better markets access and income diversification which can ultimately benefit food security and better nutrition.

SPC PAPP in collaboration with key partners organised the first ever Pacific Community Agritourism Week (PacAgriTo) to promote the links between agriculture and tourism and how they can contribute to improved economic opportunities and livelihoods.

The consultation was facilitated by SPC’s Land Resources Division in conjunction with partners Fiji Ministry of
Agriculture and Fiji Crop and Livestock Council the Fiji Livestock Sector Forum was held to raise awareness and
share information on the changing landscape of livestock development in Fiji. The forum also provided an
opportunity to further consult widely on the proposed Fiji Livestock Feed Bill and to raise awareness on the
National Agriculture Policy 2020.