This document discusses underutilized crops in Fiji. It provides background on Fiji's agriculture sector and policy issues related to food security. It then examines the status of various underutilized crops in Fiji such as giant swamp taro, breadfruit, and coconuts. Efforts to conserve germplasm and promote underutilized crops through events and training are also described. Challenges facing underutilized crops include policies, climate change, dietary shifts, research and development needs, and genetic erosion. The document concludes by presenting two case studies on the underutilized crops Dioscorea pentephylla and edible fern to highlight domestication efforts and future prospects for these crops in Fiji.

1. Underutilized Crops in Fiji
Current Status & Future Prospects
Regional Expert Consultation on Underutilized Crops for Food & Nutrition Security in Asia
Pacific, Bangkok Thailand 13 – 15th
November 2017
Mr. Savenaca Cuquma
Koronivia Agricultural Research
Research Division
Ministry of Agriculture, FIJI

2. Outline of Presentation
• Introduction
• Policy Issues
• Agriculture in Fiji
• Status of Underutilized Crops in Fiji
• Germplasm Conservation & Use
• Promotional Activities
• Challenges of Underutilized Crops in Fiji
• Case Studies
• Conclusion

3. Introduction
• Location - centre of the Pacific Ocean and is the hub
of the Pacific, lies in the international date line
• Population – about 1 million
• Area - 330 islands with 18,300sq.km
• Foreign exchange – tourism, agriculture, fisheries,
forestry, mining, textiles, agro – processing, etc
• Easily accessible - more connected globally through
air and sea
• Currency – 1US$D = 2.00 F$D
• Official language – English, others Fijian, Hindustani,
Chinese, Pacific Islanders, etc
• Sports - Rugby, Netball, Soccer, etc etc

4. Policy Issues on Food Security, Nutrition & Conservation of
Genetic Resources
The Ministry of Agriculture in Fiji work with line Ministries on the following Policy directions (Agriculture,
Environment, Health, Finance)
National level:
•Fiji 2020 Agriculture Sector Policy Agenda 2014
•Fiji Green Growth Framework 2014
•Fiji Climate Change Policy 2012
•Fiji Plan of Action for Nutrition 2010
•National Food and Nutrition Policy 2008
Fiji is in the process of developing and overarching policy on Food Security
International level:
•Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1993
•International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture (ITPGRFA) 2008
•Nagoya Protocol 2014

5. Agriculture in Fiji
• Agriculture contributes to 7% Fiji’s GDP
• Production - subsistence, semi – commercial and commercial farming
• Sugar remains a significant industry, employing an estimated 200,000. While sugar
exports account for 18 percent of Fiji’s domestic exports, non-sugar exports
account for approximately 3.8 percent.
• Major non-sugar agricultural exports include fruit (pawpaw) and vegetables
including root crops.
• Fruit and vegetables are sold fresh, few establishments engaged in processing
local fruits and vegetables, mainly for the domestic market, and in producing fruit
juice concentrates (pineapple, orange, guava, mango, passion fruit, and other citrus
fruit juices).
• The government’s “Fiji 2020 Agriculture Sector Policy Agenda” aims to drive
transformation of the sector to commercial scale agriculture.

6. New Crops Releases in Fiji 2015 - 2017
• New Pulse Variety – Samarat
• New Tomato Variety – Melrose
• New Cherry Tomato Variety – Rio Gold
• New Guava Variety – Green Pearl
Earlier Releases:
• Rice Variety – STAR
• Taro Hybrids Variety – Vulaono, Maleka Dina & Wararasa
Future Releases:
• Drought Tolerant Sweet Potato
• Capsicum

7. 2009 – Regional Consultation for Crops for the Future held in Fiji (APAARI, BI, NZAID, NARI, SPC &
CFF)
Fiji has further identified some Underutilized Crops
Status of Underutilized Crops in Fiji
Nut – B.edulis Giant Swamp Taro Bele H. manihot Tahitian Chestnut Edible fern
Wild yam species
D. pentepylla
Xanthosoma spp Karat banana Pometia pinnata BreadfruitSpondium dulcis

8. Saccharum edule Soursop Water Cress
Some of Fiji’s Crops have been used
widely but some parts are Underutilized
e.g. Coconuts

9. • Dwarf -introduced from Malaysia - 1950s (hence named as Malayan Green Dwarf)
• Conserved at Naduruloulou Research Station of Viti Levu. A total of 15 palms
-originally introduced, about 8 palms progenies.
• The progenies of this original introduction are also being maintained and used at
the coconut museum block at Taveuni Centre (120 palms) and in a compact block
at Wainigata Research Station (30 palms).
• Farmers’ gardens/ home gardens
• Promoted for tender coconut purpose - high yielding and sweet tasty tender nut
water. To target the tourism market and local market for coconut water
• Has potential for exploitation in breeding
Pink Husked Green Dwarf

10. Pink Husked Green Tall & Pink husked Brown Dwarf
• Large, green fruited Tall- SPC- robust palm- to be
collected
• Brown Dwarf- Rotuma- early bearing- compact
crown- to be further explored
• To be collected, conserved and evaluated

11. Compact Crown Dwarf
Germplasm• Early bearing
• Attractive Orange, yellow fruits
• Lesser height
• Tolerant to wind damage
• High tender coconut water >500 ml per
fruit

12. Compact Dwarf
• Reported to occur in Fiji and Polynesian Islands
• Stem traits similar to NLAD
• Fruit colour –Ornage, yellow
• Short internodes, stout stem, thick leaves, compact &
dense crown, longer leaves
• Bigger fruit size
• Potential for further utilization
• Tender nut purpose
• Lesser height –suitable for easy management
• In situ characterization, nut collection
undertaken
• Seed nuts sown at Research Station
• Locations documented

13. Niu Drau- Micro coconut
• Suitable for ball copra- edible copra production
• Less nut water- late germination
• High nut yield, low copra content- high copra
out turn
• Thin shell type
• High oil content
• To be conserved
• Variability for fruit traits is high
• Viti Levu, Cicia, Rotuma

14. Other novel coconut types
• Small fruited, cluster bearing Orange Dwarf- similar
to Hari Papua Dwarf – Viti Levu, Rotuma
• Niu Uta- sweet husked type- fairly large number of
palms in Rotuma- to be conserved- wide variability
for fruit traits
• Striped coconuts- 5 palms in Rotuma- wide variation
for fruit traits- sweet husked cum striped nuts also
recorded

15. Germplasm Conservation & Use
Ex – situ
•The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for all ex – situ conservation of PGRs at 8 research stations
through germplasms (field collections, cool storage, tissue culture
On – Farm
•Awareness and training are carried out with farmers to conserve their landraces
In - situ
•Carried out normally for wild relatives of crops and medicinal plants
•In – situ conservation is also carried out on other genetic resources (terrestrial & marine)

16. Promotional Activities
Underutilized Crops are Promoted during these events in Fiji
•Agriculture Shows/World Food Day – promote diversity, food security & nutrition
•Agri – Tourism - to promote local foods into hotel industries
•Local food preparation – women's are trained on local food processing and
preservation including underutilized crops

17. Promoting PGRs in Fiji

18. Promote Diversity and Value Adding
Yam value adding in Fiji

19. Fiji Ag Show Photos
Yam harvesting Yam Day
Farmer’s Yams
Hybrid Taro
Taro Traditional Varieties
Farmer selling Yams seeds
Cassava

20. Challenges on Underutilized Crops in Fiji
Policy
•Ministry of Agriculture to align relevant policies issues on Underutilized Crops in Fiji
Climate Vulnerability
•Fiji is prone to natural disasters e.g. cyclone, prolonged dry spell, flooding, sea level rise for
coastal and atolls. 2016 TC Winston Cat 5 biggest in the southern hemisphere
Dietary
•Increased in imported cheap processed foods
•Changes in consumer preferences
R&D
•Need to strengthened and build capacity – collaborative research
Genetic Erosion
•Promote and build capacity on conservation (on – farm & in – situ)
•Documentations including Traditional Knowledge (TK)
Investment
•Not much attention in terms of funding capacity

21. Case Studies on Underutilized Crop in Fiji
Case Sudy 1 – Dioscorea pentephylla
•5 yam species were recorded in Fiji 1980s
•A new species collected, characterized at in – situ &
identified in 2016 as D. pentephylla (5 leaf yam
species)
•Exist in the wild and thrives well in drought areas due to
its resilience
•Resistant to yam diseases – yam anthracnose
•Have been used by people as a disaster crop
•Collected and multiply at research stations
•Traditional Knowledge & Use documented
•One of the varieties is a good substitute to potato for
rural dwellers.
•Nutritional analysis to be determine for promotion for
food security and nutrition

22. Case Study 2 – Edible Fern Athyrium esculenta
Domestication of Edible Fern (Ota) in Fiji
•Ota or it is commonly known is readily available on Fridays and Saturdays
in the vegetable markets and roadside vegetable stalls.
•Very nutritious and a delicacy in the Fijian diet
•Consumption is increasing by nearly all ethnics groups
•Its thrives well in shady, forest damp environment
•Efforts were made to domesticate cultivation in 2007 – 2008
•It is underutilized in Fiji due to its potential to tap into local hotels and export
market and level of investment

23. Future Prospects in Fiji
• Underutilized crops in Fiji have a good potential to be further developed
through relevant policies and directions by government
• Create investment opportunities for collaborative research &
development, conservation and use, marketing linking to agro - tourism
and processing
• Strengthened the nutritional analysis and enhance promotion
• Work with regional and international organizations such as APAARI,
Crops for the Future, Bioversity International, etc on Underutilized
Crops.

24. THANK YOU SO MUCH