NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND FAIR TRADE IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES 2009

The increased demand for high quality products in export markets, coupled with Pacific Island Countries (PICs) national desire to protect the environment, biodiversity and family farming structures, lead to assume that organic agriculture could offer good prospects for PICs development. Besides market opportunities, organic agriculture could increase PICs food self-reliance and thus, contribute to reducing the alarming trend of dependency on food imports, as well as improving nutrition. This Report explores the potential of organic agriculture and fair trade in PICs, with a specific focus on five main commodities: cacao, coffee, pepper, vanilla and virgin coconut oil.