July 2014
Fiji Papaya Farmer Organisation Turns to Local Organic Certification
Building on research findings from the Fiji Papaya Project, a group of young farmers from the Sabeto Valley in Nadi have formed a group to expand production of organic papaya. The Sabeto Organic Producers Association (SOPA) are using a local organic certification system called the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). The PGS programme is an initiative driven by the Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community (POETCom) through funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). [hr_small] An initial market for the PGS certified organic papaya has been identified in New Zealand and it is anticipated that commercial exports will commence at the end of 2014. SOPA is also targeting the much larger US organic market once market access has been secured.
MTCP II — A Project for Farmer Organisations by Farmer Organisations
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the Farmers’ Federations from Asia and the Pacific launched the second phase of a regional Medium Term Cooperation Programme with US$14 million grant to support farmers’ organizations from Asia and the Pacific. The Medium Term Cooperation Programme with Farmer Organizations (FOs) in Asia and the Pacific Phase II is known as MTCP 2.
The workshop took place in Bangkok, Thailand on 23-24 November and was attended by Asian Farmers’ Organizations representing 20 million small-scale farming families from 25 countries in Southeast and South Asia and the Pacific.
MTCP 2 aims to contribute to the poverty alleviation in the Asia and the Pacific region by strengthening capacities of the rural poor and their organizations that lead to improved livelihoods and positive socio-economic impacts in the rural development.
More information on MTCP 2 is available on the web at http://asia.ifad.org/web/mtcp.
Click on the image to view video.