Tongan expert moves to FAO in Budapest [1]
Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 21:48. Updated on Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 09:44.
Dr Viliami Fakava has relocated to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Budapest, Hungary.
He was previously the Plant Production and Protection Expert at the FAO Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands in Samoa.
“It has been a privilege and honor for me that I had the opportunity to work for the Tongan and New Zealand Governments, SPC and FAO during these years and to support farmers, private sector, NGOs and communities to enhance food and nutrition security and improve the livelihood of many people in the Pacific,” he stated.
Dr Fakava has over 28-years of work experience in agriculture, natural resources management, biosecurity and rural development in the Pacific.
He worked at Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture (MAFFF) for 18-years before taking up the role as Senior Adviser at MAF New Zealand on the imports of agricultural produce from the Pacific in 2008.
In 2011, he joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation as the Plant Production and Protection Officer in its Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands in Samoa.
Since then he had increasing responsibilities within FAO on plant production, plant protection, livestock production, biosecurity and trade, rural development and disaster related and emergency assistance to member countries.