www.foodtechnology.co.nz 25 The company is expected to go through the processes and system of acquiring HACCP accreditation this year. Apart from the Solomon Islands, PHAMA has also assisted several manufacturers in Fiji, PNG, Samoa and Tonga to achieve HACCP accreditation. You could be forgiven for not having heard of PHAMA before, but it has many accomplishments to its name. In the past six years, the Pacific island aid-for-trade programme has successfully impacted approximately 142,200 livelihoods and at least 5600 jobs in the South Pacific, and is projected to economically impact the region by a conservative estimate of $87.1 million as a result of protecting and increasing agricultural export incomes. When PHAMA was established in 2011, it was designed to help Pacific island countries improve market access for primary and value-added products. Agriculture is the second largest contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) in the countries in which PHAMA works, so it tried to ensure that greater numbers of people in poverty are included in trade and export, to facilitate improved incomes and lives. It is also committed to involving more Pacific island women in training and capacity building activities; empowering them and boosting their confidence to engage further in trade and export. Over the years, PHAMA’s work and support has inspired many farmers, processors and exporters to explore and pursue new goals, lifting their standard of living and contributing to overall economic development. The PHAMA Program will continue working to safeguard and grow the future of export commodities and livelihoods in the Pacific. To do this, the Program will continue to invest in forging effective public and private partnerships where it operates and work together with its regional partners like Pacific Community (SPC), Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and others. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Protecting Solomon Islands’ seafood exports to the European Union…as one of three main supporters, PHAMA’s contribution is valued at AUD30 million from 2012 to the end of 2020. PHAMA’s support has helped to protect 3100 jobs for Solomon Islanders. Protecting approximately AUD15m worth of annual exports of kava and 39,000 livelihoods in Fiji and Vanuatu…PHAMA’s contribution is valued at AUD14.5 million to the end of 2020. PHAMA has worked with both countries to put in place quality systems by developing quality standards and manuals and kava quality screening tests. Establishing a pathway for squash exports from Tonga to China. Three-year projections for squash exports into China show a steady increase from 1500 tonnes in the first year to 5000 tonnes in the third year, or more than AUD6 million over the 2017–2020 period. Supporting cocoa value chains in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa. PHAMA has assisted cocoa farmers, processors and exporters to earn additional income which filters through to more than 20,000 rural households in the Solomon Islands, 9000 in Vanuatu and hundreds of households in Samoa. Establishing Market Access Working Groups and Industry Working Groups to bring together members of the public and private sectors to prioritise market access issues and activities. To read the full details of PHAMA’s Impact Report, visit the PHAMA website at http://phama.com.au/ Other export commodities which PHAMA supports are coffee, coconuts, value-added coconut products, taro, watermelon, sawn timber, beef, ginger, fresh produce, spices and handicrafts.
FT-Annual Directory 2018-eMag
To see the actual publication please follow the link above