Australia is boosting biosecurity in the Indo-Pacific region with officials joining plant health officers from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to strengthen priority plant pest identification and surveillance skills in the field.
Officers from Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry joined staff from Biosecurity Solomon Islands and PNG's National Agriculture and Quarantine Inspection Authority across sites in Port Moresby, Madang, Ramu and Lae last month.
Plant, animal and environmental health and biosecurity threats can create significant challenges for Pacific Island countries through food insecurity and loss of agricultural trade and tourism revenue streams. This can undermine economic growth and stability and affect human health.
The agricultural sector is central to the livelihoods and economic wellbeing of communities across the Indo-Pacific region, including Indonesia, PNG, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.
Australia is investing in the Pacific's key economic drivers: tourism, forestry, fisheries, mineral resources and agriculture to create more and better jobs across the region.
Quotes attributable to Julie Collins, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
"These collaborative programs play an important role in supporting Australia's biosecurity system through strengthening partnerships with and between our near-neighbours and regional counterparts.
"Strong strategic leadership, technical expertise, mutual trust and respect have all contributed to the successful delivery and sustainability of these programs."
