The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations have signed an agreement to establish FAO representation for the Solomon Islands.
The agreement was signed between the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Augustine Auga and FAO Director General, José Graziano da Silva at the 11th FAO South West Pacific Ministers of Agriculture meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Assistance in Solomon Islands has focused on building the evidence base for policy-makers and supporting local food production.
FAO Director General, Jose Graziano da Silva said FAO\’s presence in the Solomon Islands will be strengthened with the establishment of a country office to enhance sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Meanwhile, Minister Auga said to house a FAO office in Honiara is a historic event indicating a whole new set of commitments each partner will be making in order to realise expected outcomes.
A key area of cooperation with the Solomon Islands is in data collection and analysis to fill the gap in reliable data on agricultural production, particularly smallholder production.
