International Development

Evaluating an alternative approach to sector development in Pacific island countries

Australia's development assistance program aims to drive economic prosperity by supporting key sectors to transition into innovative and high-value industries, promoting collaboration, commercialisation, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and training. The tilapia and beekeeping sectors are important income-generating livelihood activities for smallholder farmers in Fiji and other PIC's that have unrealised potential to grow and develop into innovative high-value agribusiness industries that are inclusive and contribute significantly to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. This project will support the transitioning of these sectors in Fiji through market-oriented development and sector strengthening, by supporting industry associations to become effective agents of industry progress, driving, and facilitating sector development, attaining stronger financial and operational stability post-donor funding. The project will grow partnerships between key industry and government departments for continued industry growth.

Livelihoods in Forest Ecosystem Recovery (LIFER)

This project is aimed at learning how to efficiently restore forests to meet critical needs of rural Solomon Islanders, accelerating and channelling forest development to support livelihoods. The LIFER project also aims to support positive leadership in forest governance to secure remaining forests and those restored. The consultative committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Forestry and including officials from Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, the National Council of Women, other ministries, Church and civic leaders, and the private sector will be an important forum in which to debate and collaborate for sustainable forestry. LIFER addresses the urgent need for forest restoration to rebuild livelihoods in the Solomon Islands and it is a first step to develop enabling forest management technologies, so that as opportunities arise, local people and forest authorities have options to restore forests as they see fit. The project will cultivate social capital to enable those directly dependent upon forests to influence their use and management and will generate some of the scientific and social building blocks for the top-down reform that is needed.

Food Loss in the Pangasius Catfish Value Chain of the Mekong River Basin

Globally, fisheries and aquaculture contribute to food security, nutrition, income, and livelihoods. Farmed and wild-caught catfish (Pangasius) generate incomes for smallholder farmers in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam across the Mekong River Basin. The fish also provide an important source of dietary protein and essential nutrients. Fluctuating commodity prices, climate change, COVID-19, consumer perceptions on food and health safety, socio-environmental and technological issues, and political changes have enormous impacts on the continued availability of catfish for human consumption. Reducing food loss and waste along the catfish value chain is critical to farmers, the private sector including agribusiness, government agencies, and all actors involved along the value chain to the consumer. Currently, there are gaps in knowledge of food loss and waste along the catfish value chain. This project will build capacity and strengthen understanding of possible interventions that would improve industrial processes to decrease food loss and waste in this value chain. This project is part of the Food Loss Research Program—a partnership between ACIAR and Canada’s International Research Development Centre. The program works with partners in developing countries to address food loss through innovative, locally driven solutions.

Developing Nut Industries in Bougainville

This project aims to diversify and expand smallholder incomes in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) by participating in sustainable, indigenous nut industries. The research will assess ARoB nut supply, explore opportunities for smallholders and small-to-medium enterprises (SME), and identify successful interventions for developing nut products and linking to markets. The region heavily relies on smallholder agriculture, with two-thirds of its population being smallholder farmers. The Bougainville Government aims to diversify and increase cash crop exports by developing downstream cash-crop processing, entrepreneurial skills, and SME support. The research will contribute to global scientific knowledge by answering questions about nut processing methods, preserving nutritional values, and food safety. The project will build ARoB capacity in value-adding for smallholders, microenterprises, processors, and the government, ultimately achieving market access for nut products for ARoB stakeholders.

Building the evidence base on the impacts of mobile financial services for women & men in farming households in Laos & Cambodia

While great claims are made about mobile finance as a critical enabling factor for agricultural development, little is known about how it affects the livelihoods and well-being of women and men in farming households. This project aims to develop an evidence base on the economic and social impacts of mobile financial services for women and men in farming households with a particular focus on Laos and Cambodia.

Enhancing private sector-led development of the canarium industry in PNG Phase 2

Research under the ACIAR/TADEP project FST/2014/099 (Phase 1) has piloted semi-commercial processing of galip products and has already given over 1000 smallholder farmers in East New Britain access to new markets. The project has also supported small-scale female entrepreneurs to make their own value-added canarium products. There is great potential for galip processing to scale out to other areas such as Bougainville, New Ireland, Sepik and Madang.

IndoDairy

Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative Phase 2 - PARDI 2

PARDI 2 is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and has a geographical focus on Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga (with extension to Kiribati, Samoa and Solomon Islands).

Philippines Smallholder Dairy: Landscape Analysis and Research Priorities

Developing the domestic dairy industry is seen as a priority for the Philippines Government. A request to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) by the Philippines Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) initiated the development of this Small Research Activity (SRA) proposal to undertake a scoping exercise and landscape analysis of the dairy industry.

Enhancing private sector-led development of the canarium industry in PNG Phase 1

This project focuses on expanding markets and processing of canarium products by the private sector, linking with other TADEP Projects, and collaborating with government and non-government agencies.

A strategic approach to pro-poor market and consumer research in China and the Mekong region

This research is now being conducted in a project "The Vietnam urban food consumption & expenditure study".

Enhancing value added products and environmental benefits from agroforestry systems in the Pacific

This project will explore opportunities for new value-added agroforestry products to improve livelihoods in PNG, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands.

Agricultural Policy Research to Support Natural Resource Management in Indonesia’s Upland Landscapes

This project’s research activities provide an understanding of how existing national and local policies (e.g., public investments, property rights, extension, fertiliser and water subsidies, trade policies, and taxes) influence farm household decisions that result in these environmental externalities.

Towards more profitable and sustainable vegetable systems in north west Vietnam

The overall objective of this project is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of smallholder vegetable farmers in north western Vietnam through improved market engagement and integrated resource and farm management practices. 

Value chain and policy interventions to accelerate zero-till adoption across the Indo-Gangetic Plains

This project is aimed at accelerating the adoption of ZT seed drills (including the Australian-Indian designed Happy Seeder) to reduce crop residue burning and boost sustainable food energy water security across the Gangetic Plains of northern India.

Enhancing livelihoods from improved forest management in Nepal

This project builds on the success and lessons of the 5-y project FST/2011/076, Enhancing livelihoods and food security from agroforestry and community forestry in Nepal, also known as the EnLiFT project.

Increasing irrigation water productivity in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe through on-farm monitoring, adaptive management and Agricultural Innovation Platforms

This project is about increasing irrigation water productivity and changing farmer behaviour in three south-eastern African countries.

Developing smallholder inclusive food value chain models for local and global markets

The project studies the dairy, meat, fish and horticulture sectors and draw on the experience of farmers in six economies.

Asian Food in Transition: Priority Research for Food Security and Sustainable Futures in Australia, China and the Asia-Pacific Region

The Group Mission successfully identified a range of critical challenges and impacts facing China, and connected the need to understand and inform debate regarding how China's responses to these will affect Australia, the region (including developing countries) and global markets.

Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative (PARDI)

The PARDI research program sought to promote sustainable livelihood outcomes for South Pacific households. The project involved collaborative teams of researchers from NGOs, government agencies, universities and private enterprises.

Impact assessment of cocoa interventions in Vanuatu

The objective of this SRA (Short Research Activity) is to evaluate the impact in adoption of ACIAR interventions in cocoa in Vanuatu.

Assessing farmer responses to climate change: adjustment policy options

The aim of this work was to design policy to mitigate the cost of adjustment by farmers to climate change and thereby to improve their livelihood. 

Developing value chain innovation platforms to improve food security in East and Southern Africa

This research is also exploring how the establishment of IPs can be most cost-effectively scaled up across a range of contexts.

Aligning genetic resources, production and postharvest systems to market opportunities for Pacific island and Australian cocoa

This project will build on past work by adopting a “whole of chain” approach, focused on specific market needs and opportunities: evaluating and disseminating appropriate genetic resources, raising agronomic productivity, and developing and encouraging the uptake of best practice in fermentation and drying to optimise cocoa quality.

Transforming markets for high-value agricultural commodities in Indonesia

The overall aim of this project is to more effectively promote the growth and development of Indonesia's fresh fruit and vegetable value chains, focusing specifically on ways smallholders and rural communities can participate and benefit.

Improving market engagement, postharvest management and productivity of the Cambodian and Lao PDR vegetable industries

The overall objective of this project is to develop innovative production and supply chain systems that enable the vegetable industry to meet year round consumer demand for vegetables in Cambodia and Lao PDR.