Republic of Marshall Islands - LRD Cooperation Summaries

PACIFIC COMMUNITY, LAND RESOURCES DIVISION IN THE PACIFIC

Overview of Current and Future Support

Republic of Marshall Islands

POPULATION (2020)

54,590

OBJECTIVE 1: Land, agriculture, forestry and genetic resources are sustainable managed/conserved

• TheGRIN-GlobalgenebankinformationsystemwasinstalledtotrialitscompatibilitywithCePaCT’sdocumentationsystems.ThenewsystemwillhaveawebsitewhereuserscanaccessinformationoncropsthatareavailablefromtheCePaCTgenebank.

• AtendofDecember2020,atotalof2,241accessionsof18cropswereconservedatCePaCT.Atotalof67%oftheaccessionsoriginatedfromthePacific,representingdiversityfrom16PacificIslandCountriesandTerritories,includingtheRepublicofMarshallIslandswithatotalof3accessionsofbreadfruit.

• In2020,atotalof94accessions(2,301plantsamples)ofbanana,breadfruit,cassava,giantswamptaro,sweetpotatoandtarosourcedfromCePaCTcollectionsweredistributedtofourcountriesincluding,RepublicofMarshallIslands,andthisledtoincreasinguseofnutritiousandresilientcropvarieties.

OBJECTIVE 2: Enhanced ability to meet local and international market requirements for agricultural and forest products

• COVID-19delayedworkonthediversificationoflivelihoodsandvaluechains.However,theworkisexpectedtobeontrackasthesituationnormalises.Thegenderandvalue-chainassessmenttoolkitisbeingdeveloped.

• Thegenderandvalue-chainassessmenttrainingmoduleforagriculturalproductsisbeingdeveloped.Afinancialtrainingmodule,theParticipatoryGuaranteeSystemandthePacificOrganicStandardarebeingrevised.

• ConsultantsarecurrentlyengagedinRMIinsmallbusinessesthroughtheOfficeofTradetogetbusinessplansdone,whichwillguidetheinvestmentprocessinagri-businesses.

• TheLRDteamiscurrentlyengagingavideoproductioncompanytofilmbiosecuritytrainingvideosonbiosecurityoperatingproceduresforpre-border,borderandpost–borderriskassessments.

• Ongoingtechnicaladviceandsupportisbeingprovidedremotelytofarmersonrequest.OrganicfarmingpracticeswerepromotedthroughweeklypostsandthePOETCom(PacificOrganicandEthicalTradeCommunity)Quarter3newsletter,aswellasthroughPOETCom’swebsiteandsocialmediaplatforms.

• AworkshopontheregionalInternationalPlantProtectionConvention(IPPC)isscheduledtobeheldfrom31August–3September2021.

• Abusinessplan(toidentifyprojectinvestmentinvaluechains)isinprogressinRMIwiththeassistanceofLRD.

OBJECTIVE 3: Access to diverse and nutritious agriculture and forestry resources resilient to impact of climate change and disasters

• AnassessmentoftheseedproductionprogrammeinSigatokaandLegalegaResearchStation,Fiji,withtargetedsupportcollatedtostrengthentheseedunitcanalsobenefitthewholeregionincludingtheRepublicofMarshallIslands.

• LRDhasdevelopedmodelsforcropvarietydevelopmentandseedproduction,disseminationofseedsandplantingmaterial,andQualityDeclaredSeeds/QualityDeclaredPlantingMaterialsforsustainableseedsystemsinthePacific.ThisbenefittedtheRepublicofMarshallIslands.

• Aneconomicanalysisofgrowingcapsicumandtomatointheoffseasonunderaprotectedcroppingsystemshowedhigherreturnscomparedwithfieldgrowing.Theresultsprovideanimportantdecisiontoolforgovernmentsandfarmers.Economicanalysisofprotectedcroppingisbeingincorporatedinanewmanualcurrentlybeingfinalised.

• Thedesignofthecoconutrhinocerosbeetle(CRB)databasewasfinalised.Thedatabaseisnowoperational,withdataenteredusingKoBoToolbox.

• ThePlantHealthTeam,inpartnershipwithcountryplantdoctors,collatedandanalysedplanthealthclinic(PHC)dataandresultscollectedviaWhatsApp.

LRDLandR e s o u r c e sD i v i s i o n

POPULATIONGROWTH (2020)

-0.08%

GDP PER CAPITA (USD) 2020

4,337

PHCresultsarecompiledtosupportmappingofpestsanddiseasetrendsanddistributionsinselectedlocalitiesanddatawillbeincorporatedinthepestdatabase.

• APlantHealthClinicmanualwasfinalisedandpublishedin2020.Thismanualisusedtosupportextensionservicesinpestanddiseasesurveillanceanddiagnosticsatthefarmerfieldlevel.

• Thecoconutrhinocerosbeetle(CRB)trainingmanualwasfinalisedandpublishedtoguideregionaleffortsincombatingCRB.

• AdraftprotectedcroppingfieldmanualisbeingdevelopedincollaborationwithFiji’sMinistryofAgriculture.Themanualwillprovideatoolthatgovernmentsandfarmerscanusetosupportscale-upofprotectedcroppingsystems.

OBJECTIVE 4: Regional and national policies, programmes and services in agriculture and forestry are gender responsive, socially inclusive, and promote and protect cultural heritage and human rights.

• TheGenebankPolicyunderdevelopmentwillbenefittheregion,includingRepublicofMarshallIslands,andisexpectedtobefurtherdevelopedinthefourthquarteroftheyear.

• TheregionalseedsystemsroadmapiscurrentlybeingreviewedandeditedforimplementationbythePacificSeedsforLifeprogramme.Thisbenefitstheregion,includingRepublicofMarshallIslands.

• UnderthePHAMAplusproject,anAnimalHealthandProduction(AHP)frameworkhasbeendraftedandcurrentlyunderreviewandthiswillbenefittheregion,includingRepublicofMarshallIslands.

OBJECTIVE 5: Integrated farming systems and services strengthened

• Thesoilsamplingprotocolisnowbeingpreparedforprintingasafieldbookletfordistribution.

• TheUSP-SAFT(SchoolofAgricultureFoodandTechnology)iscurrentlydevelopingsoilcorrelationstudies.

• SoilDrProgrammeguidelinesthatwillprovideanoutlineofhowtoaddresscapacitybuildingneedsinsoilmanagementwillbecompletedinJune.

• Buildingcapacityinpestanddiseasedescriptionsuchasinsects,fungus,bacteriaandunknowns’

• BuildingcapacityinPestsandDiseasedescriptionsuchasdiagnosesofinsects,fungus,bacteriaandunknownsubstances,aswellasmanagementfornationalPlantHealthClinicchampions,ison-goingthroughtheCentreofAgricultureandBiosciencesInternational(CABI).

• LRDsuccessfullyfacilitatedthelevel3certificationofthePlantHealthLabincoordinationwiththeBiosecurityAuthorityofFijiandtheNationalFireAuthorityofFiji.

LRD Priorities for Partnership with Republic of Marshall IslandsREPUBLIC OF MARSHALL ISLANDS NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN SECTORS

STRATEGIC AREA SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL

LRD PRIORITIES

1. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

• Gender• Children,Youthand

VulnerableGroups• Community

Development

• Experttechnicalknowledgebuiltovertimeinatollagriculture,geneticresourcesforestryandlandusemanagementandpolicies,biosecurityandvaluechainwork

• Opportunitiestocollaborateoncrosscuttingregionalproblems(Climatechange,foodsystems,pestanddiseaseincursions)

2. ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCY

• ConservationResourceManagement

• Sustainablemanagementofforestsandlandscapestoprovideforourfuture

• Restorationofourecosystemstosafeguardourchildrenthroughsustainablepracticesandsystems

• Conservationanddistributionofgeneticresources• Conveningpowerandabilitythatimprovescountry

visibility

3. SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• AgricultureandAgricultureProduction

• TradeandLocalManufacturing

• Tourism• FinancialServices,

PrivateSector• Investmentand

Employment

• AccessandlinkagestointernationalnetworksthatsupportPacificdevelopment

• Internationalbiosecuritylaboratoriesforconservationanddistributionofgeneticresourcesandinsects

• UnderstandingoftheregionalenvironmentandcontextsthathelpindevelopingPacificsolutionsforPacificproblems

• ExcellenceinagricultureandforestryresearchanddevelopmentinthePacific

• Abilitytomobilizetechnicalresources• PacificInnovationHubforagricultureandforestry

ADDRESSLand Resources Division, Pacific CommunityPrivate Mail Bag, Suva

FOR ENQUIRIES Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor: Varanisese Tawake varaniseset@spc.int +679 337 0733 +679 946 1716