The Food and Agriculture Organisation Pacific in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture have completed a training programme on pest management in the Pa Enua (outer islands).

Ministry’s director for the Crops Research Division, William Wigmore said the workshop on “Integrated Pest Management on fruit, vegetable and root crops in Cook Islands” is a component of the FAO Technical Cooperation Project.

FAO Pacific earlier this month said that they were hosting a workshop on better production practices, with a focus on integrated pest management.

They stated that it was inspiring to see the enthusiasm and interest in adopting sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices in agriculture.

The project titled – Promote agricultural value chains to strengthen local food systems impacted by Covid-19 – was held in Mauke, Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Mangaia.

The workshop which began in March will run until May 2023.

Wigmore said the aim of the workshop is to assist farmers, agriculture officials, and youth and women farmers in the management of pests using safer methods such as the use of organic or less toxic pesticides, biological control (use of natural enemies) and quarantine that prevents introduction to the outer islands. 

He said for the non-project islands, they will be assisted through a capacity building workshop on fruit tree propagation and field management for two agriculture staff from each southern Pa Enua.

“The aim is to build staff capacity in the area of fruit tree propagation so that they can propagate fruit tree seedlings and supply the need for the respective island.

“This way, we minimise the introduction of propagated plants from the Rarotonga nursery and reduce risk of introducing new pests and disease to the islands.”

The training included three days of integrated workshop and five days of plant propagation.