An important constraint to implementing sustainable agriculture and forestry practices is the limited number of crops and products that our communities rely on for income generation and for their general livelihoods.

Identifying and promoting currently minor agriculture and tree crops and products that have the potential to enhance the income of farmers and communities will provide a vital contribution towards the implementation of sustainable practices by our people.

In line with the above need, LRD, through its FAD Group, is implementing a number of activities, aimed at supporting farmers and communities to diversify into other agricultural and forestry crops and products that will enhance their capacity for increased income-generation Some of these crops include Sandalwood, Canarium indicum, Morinda citrifolia, bamboo, and other emerging high value crops.

Efforts are also continuing on enhancing the post-harvesting processing of timber at the community level to enhance the income of communities in support of sustainable forest management using the Drawa model. Work in this area will focus on forest management, harvesting and product quality standards to meet both domestic and export markets that would facilitate the trade in these products.

Through the EU-funded FACT Pilot Project, direct assistance is being provided to selected partner enterprises in both forestry and agriculture to enhance their exporting capacities. This includes the analysis of the selected enterprise’s supply chains from production to the point of sale, identifying areas which need to be improved and providing the necessary support to assist partner enterprises to make required changes.

Some of the main activities planned for implementation by FAD include:

• Promote sustainable increase in quality, range and value of exports of agriculture and forestry products within and out of the Pacific Region.
• Develop participatory varietal selection and breeding with emphasis on the selection and production of productive, resilient and resistant varieties of crops and trees that can withstand the adverse effects of climate change.
• Promote national forest certification standards
• Promote wood industries efficiency and commercial processing of NTFPs.
• Support capacity building and business training for community-based forestry and agriculture enterprises.

Promote public awareness and education on the importance and value of forestry and agriculture diversification

The FAD Group is well placed to implement its planned activities and deliver the relevant services to PICTs in support of forestry and agriculture diversification initiatives.