NARI wins three EU-ACP grant awards

By SENIORL ANZU of NARI

 

Papua New Guinea’s National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) has successfully worn three major ‘capacity development’ projects from the European Union, valuing EURO 2.8 million (K 11.5 million).

The projects under the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Science and Technology (S&T) Programme will be implemented in three Western Pacific Countries - PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu - over three years starting in early 2010.

NARI Director-General Dr Raghunath Ghodake (pictured) revealed this last week saying “it has been a superb achievement by NARI to win funding for three capacity development projects in this highly competitive call from the European Union to the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states”.

“This is a Christmas present to PNG, NARI and its Western Pacific partners,” Dr Ghodake said.

“The ACP Science and Technology (S&T) Pro­gramme is an ACP-EU co-operation pro­gramme to support ACP coun­tries in strengthening research, development and innovation as well as in formulating and implementing S&T policies for sustainable development and poverty reduc­tion.” 

A total of nine research and development (R&D) organisations from these countries will benefit from the initiatives.

The award winning projects are:

·        Capacity development for research planning, programming and implementation in agricultural R&D institutions in PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu;

·        Capacity development in conservation and utilization of invaluable plant genetic resources; and

·        Capacity building in core research-related competencies and networking among staff of the agricultural research institutions.

Dr Ghodake said appropriate human resource capacity was essential for conducting and promotion of agricultural innovations for enhancing productivity, efficiency, and sustainability of the smallholder agricultural sector.

“However, most research and development institutions in the Pacific lack this capacity and the projects will address this problem,” he added.

While NARI is the project leader, the regional partners are the Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre.

The project associates are the Fresh Produce Development Agency, Coffee Industry Corporation, Cocoa Coconut Institute, PNG Women in Agriculture Development Foundation (PNG), Kastom Gaden Association (Solomon Islands), and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Vanuatu).

 The projects will be co-ordinated from a newly-established office at the NARI headquarters in Lae with project offices in Honiara (Solomon Is) and Port Vila (Vanuatu).

The project call was open to national and regional science and technology organizations, universities, and research networks in 79 ACP member states, 27 member states, three candidate countries of EU, and the three mem­ber states of the European Free Trade Association.

“This is a unique achievement for PNG, NARI and its partners.  We sincerely thank the EU-ACP S&T Programme for awarding these projects,” Dr Ghodake said.

The bid was made in March 2008.