A three-year $4.5 million regional project funded by Italy started in 2004 in 14 Pacific Island countries (PICs) to enhance food production and security focusing on supply-related activities as well as strengthening agricultural trade and policy.

Coordinated and implemented through FAO's sub-regional office in Apia the project now has been boosted with an additional $2.5 million grant provided by the government of Italy. This further financing brings Italy contribution to Pacific food security to $7 million and allows FAO to extend the project life with another 18 months until the end of 2008.

A review meeting of the ongoing project - held in Tonga last June emphasized the importance of training in food safety for international trade by Pacific countries as well as activities geared towards support vulnerable communities and insecure households.

"More technical support and investments are needed in the areas capacity building in (food and agricultural) trade and agriculture policy development," noted Vili Fuavao, FAO's Sub-regional Representatives in the Pacific.

Pacific countries thus asked FAO to further strengthen both national as well as regional activities of the project and ensure closer involvement the private sector, Dr Fuavao added.

The current phase of the project commenced in May 2004. It supports national projects in 14 PICs.

In agriculture and crop production, support ranges from fruit to development (Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea), home gardening (Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu), food processing and value addition (Palau, Solomon Islands and Samoa), rice production (Fiji and Papua New Guinea), disease free banana in the Federated States of Micronesia to post-quarantine activities for the Solomon Islands.

Also livestock development is an important sector for income generation by small farmers. Poultry farming in Fiji, Niue and Samoa; butcher development in Vanuatu; piggery development and production in Niue, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu; and sheep farming in Tonga and Samoa an areas in which the project has assisted numerous Pacific farmer families.

FAO Has increasingly recognized the importance of a regional perspective for the particular problems faced by small island countries, underpinning the Organization's rationale for adopting a regional approach to food security in PICs. FAO Sub-regional Office for Pacific Islands, 16/03/07.