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Abstract
The features of most Pacific Island Countries include
limited arable lands, poor topography (volcanic soils, atolls etc) and
Social/Economic Isolation within and between Island countries. Agricultural
activities in rural Pacific is monocultural and based mainly on traditional
or low-input system in terms of capital, human and material resources.
The majority of the holdings are small to medium and operated by owners,
tenants and sharecroppers using unskilled family labour. While the
commercial or high and moderate input farmers, make use of improved breeds
of animals, improved planting materials, land mechanisation, chemical fertilizer
and pesticides to increase crop yield per hectare. However, the cumulative
effects of population growth, plants and animal diseases and diminishing
capabilities of arable land negates the efforts of high and moderate-input
farmers. To ensure food security and promote economic, social and ecological
benefits within and between Pacific Island countries, the sustainable use
of natural renewable agricultural resources must be facilitated by the
synergistic relationship between humans, livestock, crops and land. |
