Abstract

Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), which include 19 Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and comprise the Oceania sub-regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, face diverse food system challenges. All are food import dependent, many are experiences a double burden of malnutrition, partly caused by growing imports of ultra-processed foods. All are relatively remote within global supply chains, and domestic supply chains are hampered by logistical and cost challenges. Many experience a disproportionate number of natural disasters such as earthquakes and cyclones and most are faced with impacts of climate change. These factors, combined with socio-demographic challenges including rural-urban migration and rapidly growing populations (in many PICTs) mean that PICT food systems and their social, economic, and environmental outcomes, are vulnerable to both domestic and global changes.
While food system challenges are experienced differently among PICTs, regional unity is building around strategies for addressing some of these challenges. One area where regional unity is possible, is the development of regional databases on elements of food system where data is a powerful tool for policy and data can be regionally standardised, allowing for comparison and shared learning among PICTs. For example, the Pacific Food Trade Database (PFTD) was developed in response to inadequate national trade statistics on food and beverage trade. This database includes food and beverage trade for 18 PICTs from 1995-2022, and is being used to conduct research, and guide national and regional policy development. Food and beverage acquisition and consumption data, from household income and expenditure surveys (HIES), is being cleaned and standardised to provide knowledge on consumption patterns and linked socio-demographic characteristics of households at various levels of data aggregation. These foundational food system data are, and will continue to, improve knowledge on Pacific food systems and offer guidance on policy development.
One data type which is under-developed but has the potential to be profoundly valuable in guiding improved food systems outcomes is agriculture production statistics. Robust agricultural statistics, including production estimates for dominant crop s and livestock, are essential for understanding food security and nutrition trends, informing food balance sheets and sustainable development goal targets. Currently FAO collects these data from country statistics offices and Agriculture Ministries, generally derived from Agriculture Census. However, there are major data gaps for the region across nations and years, and data collection is highly variable, including frequency and methods. Given the importance of production statistics, we propose the development of a regional initiative for better production statistics. This initiative would include PICTs sharing methods and resources in collaboration to increase the frequency, accuracy and comprehensiveness of collected agriculture statistics. If realised this could lead to better responsiveness to food system challenges at different governance granularity (PICT, sub-region, region) and greater regional unity including, for example, enhanced intra-regional trade and knowledge sharing.
The purpose of this presentation is twofold. First, we present an overview of both the PFTD and acquisition and consumption data in the Pacific region, including highlighting their value and application. Second, we summarise existing agriculture production collection methods and data, and propose a program of work for improving agriculture production statistics in PICTs. While details are specific to Pacific Island Countries and Territories the methods are highly applicable to other global region including other small island developing states with comparable food security and nutrition challenges.