Recruit a PGR Adviser for SPC. The joint recruitment of the PGR Adviser by SPC and IPGRI (Attachment 1: TOR for PGR Adviser) was successfully undertaken. It was a lengthy process with the candidate (Luigi Guarino) eventually taking up the post in mid-June 2002. Since then, he has started liasing with partner countries, in particular with regard to carrying out national PGR stakeholder workshops. Such meetings have been organized in Papua New Guinea and Fiji, resulting in agreed priority actions and the setting up of a national coordination mechanism on agricultural PGR. The PGR Adviser has circulated regular email updates on the Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN) activities to country focal points and other interested parties and set up a weblog (http://papgren.blogspot.com). He also organized a PAPGREN review and planning meeting in November 2002 and has drafted a website and public awareness brochure.

Support the development of guidelines for IPR-related issues. This topic was discussed at the PGR regional workshop and it was included in the PGR Action Plan. Dr Mary Taylor of SPC developed draft Terms of Reference for an information paper. Michael Halewood of IPGRI reviewed the TOR and provided comments, and a final version was then agreed upon. A consultant has been recruited to carry out the work and he has prepared a first draft of the guidelines, which has been reviewed by Mary Taylor and Luigi Guarino and is being revised.

Representatives of four regional agencies (University of South Pacific - USP, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community - SPC, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat - ForSec, World Wide Fund for Nature -WWF) met at SPC, Nambua on 3 October 2002 to enhance each other's awareness of their activities on intellectual property rights (IPR), and thus contribute to improved regional coordination and a more coherent and effective message and advice being passed on to Pacific island countries (PICs). This was a follow-up to a meeting of Directors of ForSec, the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and SPC on 2 October 2002 at the Forum Secretariat. Each organization summarized their IPR activities, and this was followed by wide-ranging discussions and a mapping exercise, which highlighted overlaps and gaps. A legal expert assisted the discussion. The meeting decided that clarification was needed for the inclusion of genetic resources for food and agriculture within the intellectual property regimes under development for biodiversity and traditional knowledge. It was recommended that Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) working group on IPR be established to monitor international initiatives on IPR, coordinate IPR activities among CROP organizations, and ensure a harmonised and coordinated approach to assist member countries to implement IP regimes.

Develop protocols for complementary conservation strategies. A regional workshop on on-farm conservation was organized at SPC in May 2002 in connection with the TaroGen annual meeting. The participants from Melanesian countries endorsed the development of a regional on-farm conservation project with a strong development focus. A regional consultation on breadfruit conservation in the Pacific was also organized later in the year, which identified needs and opportunities and developed a list of priority activities. The activities fall into three main areas. One component is a survey of breadfruit genetic resources across the region, which would be carried out by countries according to a standardized methodology to be agreed upon. Another component of the strategy is to stimulate use of the regional collection in Hawaii by PICs by addressing what are seen as the main constraints. The third component is the promotion of breadfruit cultivation and consumption for better nutrition and health.

Year 2 (01/01/2003-31/12/2003)
Recruit a PGR Adviser for SPC. Luigi Guarino was jointly recruited as PGR Adviser by SPC and IPGRI and took up the post in June 2002. He has since been liaising with national partners through email, regional meetings and country visits, in particular with regard to carrying out national plant genetic resources stakeholder consultations, to stimulating the exchange of information, and to provide training as necessary. National consultations have been held in five countries. A PAPGREN pamphlet and poster have been published and circulated. A draft list of regional plant genetic resources contacts and a regional directory of genebanks have been prepared in collaboration with partners.
Support the development of guidelines for intellectual property rights (IPR)-related issues. A brochure entitled 'Policy Issues Relating to Plant Genetic Resources in the Pacific. A Guide for Researchers and Policymakers' has been published in English and translated into French. Draft Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) have also been developed by SPC for use by the Regional Germplasm Centre (RGC). Efforts are under way to increase the awareness of countries regarding the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.
Develop and implement complementary conservation strategies. A project proposal was developed in 2003 in collaboration with Dr Lois Englberger, a nutritionist with the NGO Island Food Community of Pohnpei, for the conservation of traditional food crops through their promotion for better health and nutrition, with a focus on Micronesia.
A regional consultation on breadfruit conservation in the Pacific was organised in 2002. The consultation resulted in the identification of needs and opportunities and the development of a list of priority activities. The PAPGREN meeting in May 2003 discussed sweet potato yield decline and its significance for genetic resources conservation of this crop. The initial elements of a work plan were agreed. It was felt necessary to investigate yield decline through surveys throughout Melanesia (including PNG highlands and lowlands), to identify stable varieties, and to set up a participatory plant breeding programme based on them. To address this, a project proposal on sweet potato in Melanesia is being developed by the Queensland University of Technology, the University of Queensland and the RGC for ACIAR support.
A major activity in 2003 was the organization of the 3rd Taro Symposium 21-23 May 2003 (http://www.spc.int/cis/tarosym/Index.htm). This was held in Nadi, Fiji, with support from IPGRI, CTA, FAO and Japan. Over 60 participants from all the major taro-growing areas of the world participated. The objectives were to review progress in taro research, analyse needs and priorities, develop a strategy for future work in taro research and development, explore new ways to use genetic diversity and improve taro quality and production, and stimulate international collaboration, information exchange and networking. The proceedings are being prepared for publication in 2004. To address the priority issues identified, the RGC is undertaking research on cryopreservation and on seed conservation (in collaboration with Vudal University in PNG), and also entering into an extensive exercise of field testing of virus-indexed taro varieties in partner countries throughout the region.

1. Develop a framework for the establishment of effective sui generic protection of PGR in the region.

Mr Clark Peteru, an environmental lawyer from Samoa with extensive experience of biodiversity access and benefit sharing (ABS) issues, prepared an information paper on PGR policy issues, which was reviewed and revised by SPC. The paper was presented at the PAPGREN meeting in May 2003, where it was well received by PICTs. It was published in 2004 as an SPC pamphlet, entitled Policy Issues Related to PGR in the Pacific: A Guide for Researchers and Policymakers. The English and French versions have been widely distributed in the PICTs to create greater awareness of PGR policy issues. SPC was accorded the mandate to represent PICTs at the negotiations for the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)'s Material Transfer Agreement (MTA). The PGR Adviser attended this negotiation in July 2005 in Tunesia under separate funding from FAO.

An information paper on the ITPGRFA was prepared by SPC for the first joint meetings of Pacific Ministers and Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services (HOAFS), organized by SPC in September 2004. A more general paper on genetic resources (encompassing forestry and livestock too) was also prepared for the same meeting, aimed at Ministers by the Land Resources Division (LRD) of SPC. Both had a significant impact on the deliberations. The Ministerial communiqu:

"acknowledged that access to genetic resources (crop, tree and animal) is necessary to ensure food security in the long-term. Broadening the genetic base of crops, trees and livestock, genetic improvement and diversification are crucial in coping with rapid change. Regional initiatives such as NARI's PARCIP should be supported. Access to and utilization of genetic resources will be enhanced through active participation in PGR networks, both at the regional level (PAPGREN) and at the international level (COGENT and BAPNET). To ensure continued access to genetic resources the countries of the region should consider endorsing the RGC MTA, ratifying the International Treaty, signing the Establishment Agreement for the Global Crop Diversity Trust."

The Recommendations of the Heads also had a section on genetic resources which stated that:

"HOAFS agreed that PICTs need sustained and ready access to plant genetic resources from both within the region and other parts of the world, and to actively use these PGR to broaden and improve the genetic base of their food production, and thus be in a position to react to the challenges facing their agriculture. The ITPGRFA can be instrumental in facilitating access to PGR for food and agriculture, and also in obtaining financial support for national and regional efforts in PGR sustainable conservation, management and use through The Global Crop Diversity Trust. The Pacific needs to have a voice on the Governing Body (which will meet in mid-2006), in order for its specific needs and requirements and concerns to be taken into account as the details of implementation are negotiated. This will require the early ratification of the ITGRFA. PICTs which still have questions and need clarification of specific issues relating to the ITPGRFA can contact SPC for further information."

As a follow-up to these recommendations, a draft briefing paper to Cabinet on the ITPGRFA was prepared in collaboration with FAO and IPGRI and circulated to all PICTs.

It is opportune to note that HOAFS also endorsed the new LRD strategy. GR conservation and use (including agricultural crops, forestry and livestock) is now an important pillar of this strategy, and internal coordination has been enhanced through the formation of a Genetic Resources Team within the LRD. The strategy for SPC's work in PGR conservation and use is predicated on supporting the evolution both of strong national programmes and of strong collaboration among them.
From 2007, the PGR and Regional Germplasm Centre (RGC) Adviser positions will merge into a core-funded SPC position within LRD.
A training workshop on policy isses was held in March 2005 (see below).

2. Hold national PGR stakeholder workshops to identify PGR priorities and enhance national coordination.

The idea here has been to help individual PICTs develops clear national priorities for work in PGR conservation, and also establish national coordinating mechanisms as required. At the start of the project, formal national workshops were organized in a number of countries, but as time went on it was decided to be both more opportunistic and strategic with the capacity building approach. Thus, opportunities were sought to include a consultation on PGR priorities as part of existing activities. More informal consultations were therefore held in 2004 in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Kiribati, mainly in conjunction with other meetings and visits. For example, in Solomon Islands, the PGR Adviser participated in the annual meeting of the Planting Materials Network, in a workshop on IPR organized by an ACIAR forestry project, and in a two-week livelihoods assessment of the Weather Coast of Guadalcanal as part of a team implementing the AusAID project Sustainable Livelihoods for Isolated Rural Areas. Complementary activities were supported by the FAO Global Plan of Action (GPA) implementation monitoring exercises that were carried out in Fiji and PNG, with the involvement of the PGR focal points in these countries and this resulted in comprehensive reports on the current PGR situation in the two countries and progress in the 20 priority areas of the GPA. Close linkages continued to be fostered with the EU-funded project Developing Sustainable Agriculture in the Pacific (DSAP). This project, which is also being implemented by SPC's Land Resources Division (LRD), has established steering committees in all participating Pacific countries to identify priorities and guide implementation. SPC plans to expand the role of these committees to encompass all LRD activities, and we have alaready started to use them to guide the PGR work.

3. Document existing germplasm collections and publish national and regional PGR inventories.

A key prerequisite for collaboration on PGR conservation and use is the ready and wide availability of knowledge of national and regional germplasm holdings. There are IPGRI/FAO databases of genebank holdings, but there is typically a significant lag in updating these, and some of the information for the Pacific countries was several years old. Compiling information on national and regional genebanks was thus a high priority activity for PAPGREN during the first two years of the network's life. Related to this, adequate safety duplication of germplasm collections is an important tenet of PGR conservation. However, if PGR managers were not even aware that their collections have been duplicated or not, and that they seem not know where and how to access such duplicates, the utility of this essential aspect of conservation is clearly limited. Information on the status of duplication of Pacific germplasm outside the region, and indeed on the existence of Pacific germplasm in general in genebanks worldwide, was indeed not very extensive, hence the necessity expressed in the PGR Action Plan for the Pacific for a systematic survey of genebanks all over the world for their holdings of regional germplasm.

Based on this recommendation, a Directory of Plant Genetic Resources Collections in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories was published in late 2004 in consultation with national partners and other experts and widely distributed in the region and beyond. The directory also included information on Pacific germplasm held outside the region. This information was forwarded to IPGRI and FAO for updating the information in their databases. The data in the Directory has been migrated to an Access database specially designed for the purpose, and after checking and design of queries will be web-enabled.

4. Develop awareness of PGR and of the network, and represent the network in regional and international fora.

In some ways, this is the key activity of the network in its early stage. Network's long-term sustainability can only be assured if people - researchers, administrators, policy-makers - are aware of it and recognize its importance. The first step, however, is to build up awareness within the network itself, stimulating the exchange of information and ideas, and a lot of emphasis has been placed on this aspect in the first years of the network's life.

Four PAPGREN meetings, co-funded by NZAID, have been held from May 2002 to the present, the last in October 2004. The next meeting is planned for October 2005. These have been expensive undertakings, but have proved essential for building up trust and maintaining a collegial atmosphere within the network and stimulating the exchange of information and ideas. It has been possible to take the opportunity of combining network meetings with other events, for example one meeting was organized to coincide with the Third Taro Symposium (see next section). Also, to maximize impact, network meetings have included not only the usual summaries of recent activities and discussion of possible future plans, but also in-depth explorations of a specific priority topic, for example on-farm conservation, breadfruit conservation and PGR education.

Regular email updates on PAPGREN activities and PGR news from the Pacific in general are being sent to national partners and other interested people in the region and worldwide (the mailing list numbers about 500, including the members of the now defunct RootCropsNet), and a weblog http://papgren.blogspot.com is being maintained (this also generates an Real Simple Syndication (RSS)

A public awareness booklet and poster describing PAPGREN have been published and disseminated widely in the region. PAPGREN webpages have been developed and integrated with those on TaroGen and the RGC on the SPC web site. However, after the complete restructuring of the LRD, starting in early 2005, these will now have to be revised. The pages include information on member countries and priority crops, as well as other resources, such as a list of references and websites on Pacific agriculture and PGR. There is information to PAPGREN and links to its website from the IPGRI webpages, showing how the Pacific networks fit into the wider Asian and global picture. There has also been a recent article on the network in IPGRI's public awareness Geneflow magazine
SPC and/or the regional network have been represented at a number of regional and international events (generally using complementary funds), in particular the annual meeting of the coconut (COGENT) and banana (BAPNET) regional networks and a number of scientific conferences. Regional thematic meetings, such a recent CTA-supported workshop on biotechnology in the Pacific being organized by the RGC, also regularly invited input from the network.

As stated above, the PGR Adviser attended the ITPGRFA's MTA negotiation in July 2005 under separate funding from FAO, as a representative of the PICTs.

5. Train trainers in priority thematic areas on regional basis.

The relative scarcity of researchers and technicians trained in PGR conservation and use remains an important constraint to development of this area in the Pacific, perhaps the main constraint. There is only a handful of people in the region with formal training in PGR, and one recently left the field while another is close to retirement. Although most countries have a designated focal point for PGR, they usually have numerous other duties and can only devote only a small proportion of their time to conservation related activities. This means that most national focal points, especially in the smaller countries, need to be generalists. It also means that we must make sure the students that are being trained in biodiversity - for which there is a bigger market - are adequately exposed to the agricultural side of things.

The national workshops have provided insight into human resources capacity building needs. They, and such events as the Planting Material Network meeting in Solomon Islands, have also proven to provide significant opportunities for basic training in selected PGR areas on a fairly ad hoc basis.

More formally, the PGR and RGC Advisers have been providing lectures and exam questions in conservation and use of agro-biodiversity as part of the Biodiversity and Conservation course at the University of the South Pacific for the past three years. On average, about half a dozen students take this course each year., wide a wide variety of backgrounds, only some of them in agriculture. This course is useful in the process of embedding agro-biodiversity considerations into wider biodiversity thinking in the region, a strategy already alluded to in the section on policy.

Strengthening the collaboration with University of South Pacific (USP), the RGC and PGR Advisers have also provided technical support (supervision and examination of thesis respectively) to an MSc student in the School of Biology investigating Cyrtosperma genetic resources. Following the completion of his thesis the student, Mr Viliamu Iese was selected to attend a three-month training in Thailand sponsored by the UNESCO and National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Thailand (the project provided some small complemetary funding). This is the first time Pacific Islanders joint this research-training program in BIOTEC. Other participants came from Vietnam and Myanmar.

PAPGREN organized a course on PGR documentation in August 2004 at the SPC, Suva, Fiji. Some 12 people participated, from 7 Pacific Island Countries. Documentation was chosen as the topic in response to information gathered in previous network meetings and also by means of an email questionnaire sent out to assess training needs. The SPC PGR and RGC Advisers were the main resource people. The course included lectures by various resource people, practical exercises, demonstrations, group discussions, presentations by participants, and a field trip to Koronivia and Nadurulolo Research Stations, just outside Suva. All participants took home a folder containing a large number of resources, including handouts of the main presentations, descriptor lists and other materials relevant to PGR documentation. All these materials, and also background documents on PAPGREN, were provided also on CD-ROM. There was a generally good reaction to the course by participants. Some suggestions for follow-up were made, and these are being pursued.

Ms Vaisa Kama and Ms Varea Vaurasi from the University of the South Pacific Tissue Culture lab in Samoa attended a one-week training attachment at the SPC Regional Germplasm Centre. Vaisa and Varea are the technicians responsible for maintaining the duplicate RGC taro collection at the USP laboratory. This training is part of the collaboration between the two laboratories and ensures that there is uniformity in the methodologies being used for the conservation of the region's crops. As well as receiving training in the tissue culture techniques for the main root and tuber crops, they will also be trained in tissue culture of breadfruit and kava - both techniques are recent developments.

The last PAPGREN meeting, in late 2004, concentrated on education and training. First, PGR practitioners from PNG, RMI, Samoa, Palau, Vanuatu and the Melanesian Farmer First Network detailed their perceived local-level, national and regional needs in the area of PGR education/training/capacity building. Educators then presented their actual and potential PGR "offer" in a series of individual institutional presentations. A "Workplan for PGR Education in the Pacific" was finally agreed (see Attachment 3) which highlighted the need for training of trainers in Rural Training Centres and Farmer Field Schools in PGR conservation, short courses/attachments for agriculture professionals, distance learning module in PGR conservation and use for agriculture and extension professionals (continuing education level), schools curriculum revision and MSc scholarships.

A recent meeting of the South Pacific Board of Education Assessment has indicated that PGR will be included in the Form 7 curriculum and so input was made to this process. The production of a 20-hour module for the Rural Training Centres is underway. Discussions have also been held with Fiji College of Agriculture to have field genebank management and utilization as a unit within their teaching course.

A Workshop on PGR Law and Policy was organized for March 2005, based on the IPGRI "Law and Policy" training module. The RGC Adviser had previously received training in implementation of this module. The 13 participants represented an unusual and stimulating mix of PGR practitioners, managers and environmental lawyers, and included staff of NGOs, government ministries of environment and agriculture and regional organizations. Participants developed action plans at the end of the workshop, a list of activities that they want to try when they return to their jobs. Implementation of these plans will be monitored and supported by SPC. Additional inputs were provided by IPGRI's participation by IPGRI-APO Regional Director and a Policy Consultant from IPGRI HQ.

6. Support priority conservation activities by National Programmes.

Once the basic structure of the network was put in place, national and regional priorities for specific conservation actions on priority crops could be discussed, agreed and implemented. Of course, these will further evolve with time and with changing circumstances, and the network provides a forum for PICTs to keep up to date on relevant technical developments and coordinate their activities. A major thrust in this area during the past several months has been the development of crop and regional strategies upon instigation of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, something that was discussed in some detail at the PAPGREN meeting in late 2004.

Taro. A major activity during the early part of the project was the organization of the 3rd Taro Symposium, which was held on 21-23 May 2003 in Nadi, Fiji, with support from IPGRI, CTA, FAO and Japan. Over 60 participants from all the major taro-growing areas of the world participated. The objectives were to review progress in taro research, analyze needs and priorities, develop a strategy for future work in taro research and development, explore new ways to use genetic diversity and improve taro quality and production, and stimulate international collaboration, information exchange and networking. The recommendations of the meeting constitute the basis of a strategy for conservation and use of taro genetic resources worldwide, and are in fact being used as part of a submission to the Global Crop Diversity Trust. The proceedings of the symposium are being edited by the PGR and RGC Advisers and should be published by SPC in early 2006. Work on taro seed conservation is ongoing at USP and the University of Vudal, supervised by the RGC Adviser. A cryopreservation protocol for taro is under development at the RGC. The existing vitrification protocol was revised after a visit from Dr Bart Panis from INIBAP and results are very promising. Recovery rates of 100% have been achieved for several cultivars from the TaroGen collection. The response of other cultivars is currently being investigated but it is expected that this protocol could be used to cryopreserve the Pacific taro collection.

Breadfruit. A regional consultation on breadfruit conservation in the Pacific was organized in 2002, which identified needs and opportunities and developed a list of priority activities. The priority activities fall into three main areas. One component is a survey of breadfruit genetic resources across the region, which would be carried out by countries according to a standardized methodology to be agreed. Another component of the strategy is to stimulate use of the regional collection at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens (NTBG) in Hawaii by PICTs by addressing what are seen as the main constraints. One of these is the safe movement of germplasm, and a pest/disease risk assessment for the species is being undertaken. The third component is the promotion of breadfruit cultivation and consumption for better nutrition and health. These priorities are forming the basis of a project proposal submission to the Global Crop Diversity Trust for funding. Complementary to this, Dr Diane Ragone of the NTBG has obtained funding from USDA/FSA for research on breadfruit tissue culture in collaboration with the RGC. A core set of 20 cultivars that provide year-round production of fruits has been selected and evaluated for fruit quality, nutritional composition, and yields by NTBG. The core set includes cultivars that are highly regarded in their islands of origin and ones with potential for commercialization. The initial focus of the project will be on this core set. This core set has been received by the RGC as root cuttings and has been planted in the RGC screenhouse for initiation into tissue culture. Collecting has taken place in Vanuatu (thus far a gap in existing ex situ collections) and a genebank has been established at VARTC, with full documentation of over 60 varieties.

Sweet potato. The PAPGREN meeting in May 2003 discussed sweet potato yield decline and its significance for genetic resources conservation. The suggested initial elements of a work plan were agreed. It was felt necessary to investigate yield decline through surveys throughout Melanesia (including PNG highlands and lowlands), identify stable varieties, and set up a PPB programme based on these. A project proposal has been prepared in collaboration with Dr Grahame Jackson, UQ and QUT and is being internal reviewed before submitting to a donor.

Coconut. The PGR Adviser and other SPC staff have contributed to the preparation of a COGENT publication sets out the current situation and recommended action for coconut research and development in the Pacific. Technical support was provided for the preparation of a proposal for supporting the International Coconut Genebank for the South Pacific at the Coconut Research Institute of PNG and for complementary proposals by other countries which forms the basis of a regional strategy being developed for the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

Bananas. Close liaison has continued with the regional crop network on Musa, BAPNET, including on the development of a regional conservation strategy for the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

Giant Swamp Taro. Technical advice was provided to a USP student carrying out an ethnobotanical and genetic diversity study of Cyrtosperma. This has resulted in a minimum descriptor list and a regional conservation strategy. Genebanks are being established for this and other crops in Kiribati.

Pandanus. A Species Data Form on Pandanus was prepared for the Traditional Tree Initiative-Pacific Islands (http://www.agroforestry.net) together with Lex Thomson, Randy Thaman and Lois Englberger. This will be useful background information for the planned development of a regional strategy. A genebank has been established in Kiribati.

PGR use. The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), PNG with support from the project, convened a planning workshop for the proposed Pacific Regional Crop Improvement Programme (PARCIP). The initiative has received the endorsement of the Heads of the Agricultural and Forestry Sectors (HOAFS). The objectives were to discuss and confirm the structure and purpose of the proposed PARCIP and determine roles and responsibilities for further action. The workshop developed a spreadsheet with, for each crop, the short and long-term issues, relevant countries, priorities for PARCIP and responsibilities for further action. The crops considered were aibika, banana, breadfruit and the traditional staple root crops. Generally relevant issues included the opportunities for major increases in productivity, making best use of the available plant genetic diversity, human resource availability or development, the problem of the narrow genetic base for most crops, agro-ecological and social complexity, the inability of most Pacific Island countries to implement independent programmes and the critical nature of the unique position of PNG and the role of the SPC-RGC. Regional networking is crucial for PGR evaluation, the introduction and sharing of new genetic material, the utilization of conventional breeding and the possible use of new biotechnology. The necessity to strengthen and safeguard the RGC was recognized and a duplication of the RGC collections in PNG was suggested. Dr Graham Jackson also gave a presentation on proposals for the establishment of an informal regional expert group on food crops research under the aegis of SPC and FAO. The concept was approved and Dr Jackson was requested to pursue it.

1. Ensure effective coordination of PGR activities at regional level in the Pacific
Continued regional coordination and collaboration on PGR issues is essential in the Pacific, where national capacity and resources remain limited and these must therefore be used as efficiently as possible. The PAPGREN annual meeting took place in Vanuatu in October 2005, allowing network members to visit the Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Training Centre, where interesting PGR conservation and breeding work is taking place. A major output of the meeting was an agreement on the major points of a regional strategy for the Global Crop Diversity Trust. The group was also updated on developments in the negotiations for a Standard Materials Transfer Agreement (SMTA) for the Multilateral System of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), following a meeting in July in Tunisia, where the SPC PGR Adviser represented PICTs on the SW Pacific Regional Group, chaired by Australia.
The RGC Adviser attended the BAPNET annual meeting. The PGR Adviser the annual COGENT meeting, the International Coconut Forum and participated, on behalf of the region, in a meeting at IPGRI, aimed at developing a global project on monitoring genetic erosion. The email alert service PGR News from the Pacific continues to provide information to PGR stakeholders in the Pacific and beyond.
2. Develop and implement strategies for the effective conservation and use of PGR for food and agriculture in the Pacific (including neglected and underutilized species).
PAPGREN meetings in 2004 and 2005 agreed on the elements of a regional strategy for ex situ conservation, which formed the basis of a submission to the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) in January 2006. This strategy is based on complementarity of approaches (field genebanks, tissue culture, and cryopreservation), adequate duplication, and effective collaboration among all stakeholders within the region and beyond as necessary. It includes elements of the strategy for taro and breadfruit developed by TaroGen and PAPGREN, thus building on earlier efforts by this project's precursors. Pacific regional strategies for banana and coconut have also been developed for the GCDT with substantial input from the RGC and PGR Advisers in consultation with national programme focal points. A concept note for a Pacific Regional Crop Improvement (PARCIP) programme has been finalized.
Specific targeted activities have been supported in participating countries to strengthen conservation of priority PGR:
Bele in Vanuatu. There are 2 mature core collections in Santo. One is with VARTC (about 50 accessions), established by the Root Crops Officer, Tan Molisale and another one with Godwin Ala, in Fanafo (20). Peter Kaoh and Oniel (DSAP), Tan Molisale and two students, under DSAP Vanuatu, have been describing the two collections using the NARI descriptor list. In February, a larger collection was established at VARTC combining plants from both collections. There are about 73 different accessions and about another 15 yet to check before being included in the collection. Peter Kaoh has recently flown to Vila with planting materials collected from the two collections in Santo. The plantings are now underway in Tagabe plot. This work is a collaboration with other SPC Teams and projects.
Taveuni taro genebank, Fiji. It was agreed to have the Taveuni Taro Genebank established as an activity in the 'Keep Taveuni Taro Beetle Free' campaign. During the analysis of how the taro beetle could get to Taveuni, stakeholders identified the smuggling of varieties from affected areas to Taveuni (a taro beetle free island) and other non-affected areas as one of the main risk factors. The rationale then was to collect and set up a taro genebank on Taveuni so that farmers would be provided with clean planting materials of the preferred local varieties. These local cultivars are now difficult to find on Taveuni due to the cultivation of the few commercial varieties. Farmers have expressed their keen interest in replanting these local varieties for food security and for meeting traditional obligations such as weddings, funerals etc. About a dozen varieties are currently included in the genebank, collected locally. Others will be introduced as tissue culture from Koronivia and/or the RGC. This work is a collaboration with other SPC Teams and projects.
Yam genebank in Samoa. The yam collection established and being maintained on- farm by Bill Cable has been characterized using standard descriptor lists (and photographs). A draft catalogue was produced. This work is a collaboration with other SPC Teams and projects.
Genebanks in Kiribati. Genebanks of major traditional crops (breadfruit, pandanus, giant swamp taro) are being established on some outer islands (Araruk, Butaritari, Maraki and Nikunau) to increase access by farmers. This work is also a collaboration with other SPC Teams and projects.
Survey of nut genebanks in Solomon Islands. As a joint SPRIG-SPC-PAPGREN activity, Barry Evans, together with Michael Max of the Department of Agriculture, surveyed the indigenous nut collections he assembled in the 1990s in various research stations in the Solomon Islands. In February 2006, he submitted his draft report summarizing the status of the collections and setting out recommendations for their future management. A database of the information on individual trees he collected on this occasion, is being put together with older data retrieved from files (many of the original files were destroyed in the Solomon Islands during the recent ethnic tension).
3. Increase capacity in PGR conservation and use in the Pacific.
An important role of the PGR Adviser is to provide training to national staff on PGR issues. This was done during the PAPGREN meeting, where a lengthy session was devoted to the policy issues arising from the ITPGRFA negotiations. The RGC and PGR Advisers also provided lectures and other support to USP's Biodiversity and Conservation course. In addition, the PGR Adviser was a resource person at a meeting of the Agricultural Liaison Officers in Vanuatu in August, which served to heighten the awareness of PGR issues of these key information people. Two people, one from Koronivia Research Station, Fiji and one from NARI, PNG, attended a training course organized with complementary funds from AusAID and others aimed at promoting the use of the LUCID. LUCID is a software developed by the Centre for Biological Information Technology for interactive identification. It can be used to distinguish species, disease symptoms or varieties of a crop. This software is expected to be extremely useful for managing and analysing PGR characterization data. An MSc student at USP working on conservation of giant swamp taro was supervised by the RGC Adviser and examined by the PGR Adviser.