Organic farming

Creation of an organic pilot farm network

This action is part of INTEGRE's regional activity to develop organic agriculture in the Pacific. The objective was to develop a sustainable economic activity, respectful of the fragile environment of the Pacific islands and to :

• Promote and develop organic agriculture in the 3 French-speaking OCTs of the Pacific ;
• Improving organic farming techniques ;
• Strengthen the regional POET-com network and the participation of Francophone OCTs.

Three "organic" pilot farms have been set up: in New Caledonia (DoNeva Highschool, Houaïlou), Wallis and Futuna (Wallis Agricultural Professional High School) and French Polynesia (Opunohu Agricultural Professional High School) where agronomic experiments, training and exchanges of experience have been conducted.

The first regional meeting on organic agriculture was held in New Caledonia at the Do Neva Agricultural High School in Houaïlou from November 2 to 6, 2015.

This workshop brought together more than 80 organic farmers, technicians and institutional leaders from New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu and took place in two stages :

• Workshops "regional and local / territorial technical exchanges - NC" at Do Neva Agricultural High School from November 02 to 06, 2015
• Meeting and thematic visits (certification, access to inputs...) on November 09 and 10, 2015

The objectives and expected outcomes of the workshops were as follows :

• Networking OF partners in the Pacific: sharing experiences and exchanging information on OF practices and techniques ;
• Provide technical and practical information to farmers and technicians for the development of OF ;
• Draw up a "Territorial and Regional Organic Plan" (Pacific) ;
• Strengthen the POET Com and inter-consular networks.

At the end of each day, participants and speakers met in a round table to deepen the sharing on the theme of the day. Thus, at the end of the 3 days workshops, a synthesis including recommendations and proposals for the development of organic agriculture at territorial and regional level was prepared and presented in plenary for validation. The overall recommendations were as follows :

• Improve the technicality of farmers and technicians in " organic ": vocational training/technical support ;
• Facilitate access to "organic" inputs for farmers: organization of a supply chain, referencing ;
• Reaffirm political support for the organic sector: financial resources and regulatory frameworks (labelling, certification);
• Promote organic farming among the public, raise awareness of organic production modes and methods, and promote production adapted to tropical environments and respectful of the environment.

Restitution of the workshop through the synthesis of the regional workshop New Caledonia (in French)

Restitution of the video clips covering the three themes developed by the project in New Caledonia: soil fertility, disease and pest control, and organic seeds and plants production.

NC - Regional seminar "Organic Agriculture in the Pacific" - Testimonials, New Caledonia, 2-6 November 2015 - Biocaledonia / CANC Lycée Agricole Do Neva / INTEGRE

NC - Regional Seminar "Organic Agriculture in the Pacific", New Caledonia, 2-6 November 2015 - Biocaledonia / CANC Lycée Agricole Do Neva / INTEGRE

- Fertility Butte and Life

- Fertility Compost

- Fertility covered water

- Diseases and biopesticides

- Diseases Observer Act

- Diseases and Insects

- Seeds and Crops

- Seeds and Conservation

- Traditional Seeds and Practices

The second INTEGRE regional technical workshop on organic farming was held in French Polynesia from October 29 to November 4, 2016. It brought together nearly 70 participants, farmers and technicians, from French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Fiji.

The objectives and expected outcomes of the workshop were as follows :

• Exchange practical and technical information on organic farming ;
• Provide technical and practical information to farmers and technicians for the development of organic agriculture ;
• Draw up a "Territorial and Regional Organic Plan" (Pacific) ;
• Promote organic farming in French Polynesia and the Pacific ;
• Strengthen the POET Com and inter-consular networks.

Thus, during the workshop, different themes were addressed :

• Theme 1: technical and economic analysis of organic farming
• Theme 2: agro-ecosystem: OF practices and techniques
• Theme 3: certification and guarantee in organic agriculture in the three countries and territories - current situation and prospects
• Theme 4: Management and Implementation of the Ocean Standard for Organic Agriculture - Current Status and Outlook
• Theme 5: Understanding an organic commercial sector in French Polynesia

Thus, at the end of this regional workshop, themes were highlighted to identify a priority action plan :

• Elaboration of technical sheets and constitution of a specific database on organic farming ;
• Assistance with the governance review of POETCom and the management of the "biopasifika" standard ;
• Preparation of the next and last regional workshops in Wallis and Futuna.

Restitution of the workshop through the synthesis regional workshop French Polynesia (in French)

To find out more: the article from the 2nd regional workshop on organic farming (in French)

PF - INTEGRE project film on the organic pilot farm network in French Polynesia - INTEGRE

From October 16 to 20, 2017, took place in Wallis and Futuna, the last regional technical workshop INTEGRE on organic farming. It gathered nearly 60 participants, farmers, research technicians and institutional leaders from French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu.

For these 3rd and last "agribio" INTEGRE workshops, the process was based on the conclusions and recommendations of the workshops in French Polynesia (Opunohu, 2016), in order to suggest the following approach and process :

• Take into account the specificities of the local context, in particular the traditional know-how and practices of the Wallis and Futuna operating systems, which are close to OF ;
• Develop a global approach to the farming system, in particular through the integration of agriculture and livestock (pig farming, food crops, cash crops) ;
• Relations and synergies between the different components of the system (e.g. pig farming, local feeding, effluent management, co-composting) ;
• Work on the priority areas defined by farmers and technicians, based in particular on joint facilitation by farmers and technicians on farms and at the agricultural vocational school, exchanges between farmers have been privileged and the technician "co-facilitator" to play a facilitating role.

The workshop was structured with visits to farmers, debates at the Agricultural Professional High School, and a time of analysis / synthesis, and was designed around 3 themes :

• Pig farming
• Food crops
• Commercial crops

 At the end of each of the 3 workshop days, a synthesis including recommendations and proposals for the development of organic agriculture in Wallis and Futuna, the OCTs and the Pacific countries and territories was prepared. On the 4th day, a global synthesis was presented in plenary to the customary authorities and institutions of Wallis and Futuna.

Restitution of the workshop through thesynthesis regional workshop Wallis and Futuna (in French)

WF - Film of the INTEGRE project on the organic pilot farm network in Wallis and Futuna : Compilation - INTEGRE

WF - Film of the INTEGRE project on the organic pilot farm network in Wallis and Futuna : Fruit tree - INTEGRE

WF - Film of the INTEGRE project on the organic pilot farm network in Wallis and Futuna : Pigs - INTEGRE

WF - Film of the INTEGRE project on the network of organic pilot farms in Wallis and Futuna : Subsistence farming - INTEGRE

INTEGRE aimed to strengthen the integration of OCTs into regional networks by offering them financial or technical opportunities to participate in the networks, either by facilitating their access to the networks or by organising specific sessions so that they could meet, exchange and share their experiences with their counterparts, or finally by financing bilingual studies on subjects of common interest to the OCTs or the ACP. However, the integration of the OCTs into regional networks cannot be decreed, it is built on the basis of meetings, interests, wills and even personalities who promote cooperation or seek to see how things work elsewhere. Thus, depending on the themes, the dynamics have been more or less strong.

The strongest dynamic is undoubtedly on the side of organic farming. Supported by a structure and a facilitator, the OCTs have really forged strong links and created a network of organic farmers and pilot farms, between which exchanges are rich and numerous. However, the dynamic is perhaps linked to the fact that it was the only network that included funding dedicated to a facilitator, which suggests that it is essential to have funds for human resources in charge of creating links, animating, relaunching actors and partners, etc.... The theme will also benefit from funds under the 11th regional EDF.