Solomons Launch of Initiative for Pacific Rural Exporters

Solomons Launch of Initiative for Pacific Rural Exporters

The Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. Connelly Sandakabatu, will today officiate at the Solomon Islands launch of a new Pacific-wide initiative to help increase its agricultural exports and earn more foreign income.

The Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA) is an Australian-funded project working with governments and exporters in Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The project aims to work with key rural industries and exporters, like cocoa, and help them access overseas markets for their products and earn Solomon Islands increased export income.

Acting Australian High Commissioner, Alison Duncan, said supporting agricultural exports made good sense given the extensive agricultural sector in Solomon Islands and its potential to earn foreign income and directly benefit farmers.

“With 85% of the people living in rural areas, this project aims to increase revenue generation in those areas for the benefit of the rural people themselves and the country as a whole,” Ms Duncan said.

The PHAMA program will work with the government and the private sector to set Solomon Islands export priorities.

The program will then provide assistance to understand and manage overseas market rules and regulations to help gain and maintain market access in those areas for Solomon Islands’ products.

Ms Duncan said the program complemented the economic livelihoods work Australia is already supporting under the Partnership for Development with the Solomon Islands Government, in particular the Rural Development Program and the Cocoa Livelihoods Improvement Project.

The launch is being held today (Wednesday 18 May) at the Heritage Park Hotel, Honiara.

ENDS

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