The Kiwa POLFN project team is currently in New Caledonia to meet with their PROTEGE project counterparts

REGIONAL COOPERATION IN ACTION!

This week, the PROTEGE program welcomes in New Caledonia 12 members of our first regional Kiwa POLFN (Pacific Organic Learning Farms Network) project team from Fiji, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Tonga.

This regional meeting between the POLFN delegation and farmers from New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia, will provide an opportunity to share technical expertise in order to encourage agroecological transition in the Pacific.

The PROTEGE program, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC), trought its thematic of "Agriculture and Forestry", aims to support the agro-ecological transition of the Pacific French overseas territories for an agriculture, especially organic, adapted to climate change and respectful of biodiversity.

The first regional Kiwa Initiative POLFN project, implemented by POETCom, aims to develop organic farming systems for food security, climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation to build resilience of smallholder farmers in Fiji, Nauru, Tonga and the Solomon Islands.

The main objectives of the project are:

• To increase the area of land in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories that is sustainably managed through Nature-based Solutions (agroecology and agroforestry).
• To ensure changes in agricultural practices for food security through economic incentives. Monitoring will be implemented in farms and associated food networks.
• Promote regional cooperation and experience sharing between farmers and communities in the Pacific.

A Call for expressions of Interest is currently open until October 7 to identify a list of potential educational farms in Fiji, Nauru, Tonga and Solomon Islands. Two organic teaching farms are to be established in each country to provide support and coordinate training with other farmers as farm advisors in partnership with SPC and POETCom.

The participation of the English-speaking team of the Kiwa POLFN project in this workshop is a very good example of regional cooperation between Pacific island Countries and French Territories. A translation of the exchanges between the two languages (English and French) has been planned to facilitate the discussions.

During the international exhibition "Tech & Bio" which will be held on October 7th and 8th in La Foa, a common stand will be held to present the actions implemented by SPC in the framework of the PROTEGE project and the regional Kiwa project.

Click here to watch the French TV news of 04/10 broadcasted on NC1ere https://bit.ly/3EhzNrr (starting at 5min45)