Agriculture Research Projects

Project Name:
Feral Pig Management in Samoa

Objective:
To reduce the destruction of taro plantations by feral pig traps, and in return increases sustainable taro production for food security.

Project Name:
Improving the resilience of crops to climate change using mutation breeding phase 2 (SAPI)

Objective:
To enhance food security through the use of new mutant varieties with increased productivity and better adaptation to biotic/abiotic stress, as well as the ability to plan and manage national mutation breeding programmes as an integral part of the national agricultural programme.

Project Name:
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) production and research on feeding plants

Objective:
To support the apiary sector through research and trainings 

Project Name:
Adopting a gender-inclusive participatory approach to reducing horticultural food loss in the Pacific

Objective:
To investigate and remediate food loss in Pacific Island value chains using a gender-inclusive participatory approach to understanding drivers of food loss and potential interventions, to widen fruit and vegetable choices for overall improvement of Pacific diets, nutrition and livelihoods. 

Project Name:
Enhanced fruit systems for Tonga and Samoa: Community based citrus production

Objective:
To increase domestic citrus production in Samoa in support of pro-health outcomes and wider community development impacts

Project Name:
Improving root crop resilience and biosecurity in Pacific Island Countries and Australia

Objective:
To improve sweetpotato planting material and planting practices for resilient root cropping systems, response to challenges of pests and diseases and climate change

Project Name:
Building Samoa’s capacity to export fresh taro to Australia

Objective:
To validate a hot-water treatment facility for the disinfestation treatment of taro intended for the Australian market

Project Name:
Response to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands.

Objective:
To develop (and, where possible, implement) biological control strategies for invasive and emergent pests of selected crops and cropping systems.

Project Name:
A review of soil and agronomic constraints and opportunities in Pacific food garden systems

Objective:
To provide a baseline exploration of Samoan home garden nutrient pathways, explicitly from soil to crop to household consumption, to enhance the supply of nutrient-dense produce

Project Name:
Strengthening the taro value chain in Samoa by characterizing postharvest losses caused by corm rots

Objective:
To characterize optimal temperature and handling conditions for taro during harvest, transport and movement along the value chain