The Journal of Agriculture and Forestry in the Pacific (JAFPac) was established to address the critical lack of knowledge-sharing platforms available within the Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs).
This knowledge gap was clearly identified during the testing phase of the Regional Research Agenda (RRA) framework. The RRA was initially launched by the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services (PHOAFS) in 2021, following a distinct requirement for stronger coordination and a better utilisation of shared resources to handle regional agricultural and forestry challenges.
JAFPac is a key initiative designed to create avenues where researchers across the Agriculture and Forestry sectors in the region can share their research. This necessity was noted by the Peer Reviewers, nominated by the PHOAFS, who worked closely with the Pacific Community (SPC) through the Land Resources Division while testing the RRA framework.
Publication and Operations
JAFPac is currently hosted by SPC. The first issue of the journal was officially launched in Tonga in May 2025 at the inaugural Regional Research Symposium. The journal anticipates publishing two issues on an annual basis.
Editorial Leadership
The founding Editors of JAFPac are members of the initial Peer Review Group:
• Dr Maurice Wong, who is the Head of Unit Research Innovation Valuation, Agriculture Directorate from French Polynesia.
• Dr Shalendra Prasad, who serves as the Director, Research and Agricultural Scientific Services Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, Fiji.
The quality of submissions is maintained by a group of reviewers comprised of experts in specific disciplines of agriculture and forestry, sourced from within the Pacific Islands and across the globe.
Supporting Research and Knowledge Flow
The research published in JAFPac directly supports the goal of sharing knowledge originating from the Pacific. To further encourage research writing and dissemination, several related regional initiatives have been proposed:
1. Regional Write Shops: These are proposed to be held annually to encourage Pacific researchers in the analysis and writing up of their research results.
2. Regional Conference or Symposium: Proposed to be held every two years, prior to the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF). This event is designed to share research findings, build on existing lessons, and develop networks among Pacific researchers. The research shared at this symposium can then be published in JAFPac.
