POETCom is a membership organisation that seeks to serve its affiliates to the greatest extent possible. POETCom has three affiliate categories: focal points, members and supporters. POETCom would like to welcome new members that have joined our ever-growing family. We look forward to working with you and providing technical support and advice for moving forward on your organic journey. For more information on joining POETCom, please contact the team at poetcom@spc.int and we will be happy to have you share in our passion and drive for an organic Pacific and world!       

WELCOME TO THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS!

Bulaccino Farm

What was once idle sugarcane land in 2010 has since been transformed and developed with much love and care into the thirty plus acre Bulaccino Farm in Fiji. We courteously tend to the land with a 100% organic approach. Now, 10 years later, we are delighted to introduce to our local and international visitors or farm “Tour of the Organic Pathway”, alive with a variety of fruit trees, local crops, herbs and spices, hardwood forests, medicinal plants and livestock consisting of free-range chickens, ducks and the Fiji-Fantastic sheep. Lookout for the busy bees thriving in the best of homes both traditional and in the all-new Flowhive. From farm to table, Bulaccino Farm proudly supplies our valued customers organic food produce and a healthy selection of menu items at our four Bulaccino Café outlets. The Bulaccino Farm is approximately a 20 minute drive from Denarau and 15 minute drive from the Nadi International Airport, nestled in a valley below the Sleeping Giant mountain range. We invite you to experience the Organic Pathway with us.

Cicia Organic Monitoring Agency

The Cicia Organic Monitoring Agency is an agency created to support the organic passion of its Cicia islanders in Lau, Fiji. We provide a PGS guarantee and our certification committee monitors the operations of the PGS to ensure it adheres to the guidelines. We build the capacity of farmers through the PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) and support local market chains for organic produce. We raise awareness about organic certification in the schools and community. The PGS offers a low-cost way to achieve organic certification that will enable rural remote communities such as ours in Cicia to access niche markets in Suva and eventually further afield. The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the vanua, banned the importation of inorganic fertilisers and chemicals 10 years ago to ensure that our island of Cicia remains green, blue and pristine.

Fiji Joe Turmeric and Blakeview PTE Limited

Fiji Joe Turmeric and Blakeview PTE Limited are sister companies with the aim of supplying the US market with pure and highly potent turmeric targeting health and wellbeing. We supply raw turmeric directly to Blakeview, our processing plant. The turmeric is then sliced and dried and sent to California. As part of our social responsibility, we also purchase from five selected villagers in Ra and Vanua Levu who are using organic protocols through our collaboration with The Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development (FRIEND).

Fiji Organic Farmers Business Association

We at the Fiji Organic Farmers Business Association are a group of current and aspiring organic farming businesses in Fiji that are under PGS operations and sell our collective produce for fair prices. Our main purpose is to support organic farming business development, particularly in rural communities.

Redox Organic 

Redox Organic is a Fiji based subsidiary of redox PTE LTD established in 2004. We are involved in research and development of organic farm inputs such as fertiliser, seeds, pesticides, and farm management products such as remote farm monitoring solar cameras, as well as training and farming implements such as biodegradable planting bags, drips, and off ground Kava planting bags. Our products include organic seaweed liquid fertiliser; organic pesticide; seaweed animal feed mix; garden or potting mix; biodegradable planting bags; organic seeds; watering and drip systems; and cocopeats for planting. We are excited to work with the POETCom network of organic farmers across the Pacific to develop a regional business partnership in developing the value of organic products and practices in Fiji.

Vanuatu Craft

A decade after its establishment, Vanuatu Craft was officially launched in Vanuatu in July 2018. We collect the fruits and vegetables from neighbouring communities that cannot be sold because of over-production or blemishes, and turn them into jams, cordials, liquors and such. This new way of working allows local producers to benefit from additional income and a value chain analysis to ensure products are 100 percent local and organic while supporting the local economy. We employ three full-time Vanuatu people at the shop and manufacturing facility. Vanuatu Craft also participates in the development of local empowerment by employing people from surrounding communities according to the quantity of fruits and vegetables received. All VC products are available in our shop, in addition to other products such as Aeian chocolates and spices, Gaston Chocolate, and Vanuatu care products.

Tanna Coffee

Tanna Coffee has been established in Vanuatu for the past 35 years and primarily grows pure Arabic Coffee in an ethical, sustainable and organic manner utilising the traditional farming methods of our 1,000 small-holder farmers. The unique climatic conditions of Tanna Island provide the ideal location for producing top quality coffee. Additionally, the company actively encourages a value-addition inter-cropping regime of fruit, vegetables essential oils, and most recently, honey, that provides farmers with an additional source of income.

Vatuvara

Vatuvara Private Islands Resort is located on Kaibu Island in the pristine Northern Lau Group, Fiji, with its associated private islands of Vatuvara, Kanacea and Adavaci. The resort offers three villas for tourism use. We are actively committed to environmental protection, energy conservation and organic standards, conserving our natural environment, and enhancing ecosystem functions with Ridge to Reef management. Our extensive organic gardens maintained by our local landscaping team provide a variety of organic daily vegetables and fruits, and major staple crops such as bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, taro and yams are successfully multiplied and rotated into harvest and replanting cycles. We have extensive plant health, soil health and seed saving programmes. We also produce our own lagoon salt and virgin coconut oil. We only use natural based cleaning supplies, have proficient waste management systems for biodegradable items, sewer systems, grey water, and brine for salt with organic landscaping designed to minimise erosion. All biodegradable matter and food are recycled into compost heaps and utilised back onto our organic gardens, including all green, paper and garden waste. Our conservation efforts include education, awareness, monitoring, vulnerable species protection, poaching surveillance, and restoration activities.

Wakanavu

Wakanavu is a family business based in Fiji with yaqona farms in Vanua Levu. We take pride in farming with organic practices and processing to the highest standards to ensure our consumers are getting the best quality Fijian kava we can produce and deliver right to your doorstep. We employ traditional farming principles, which results in a consistent and sought-after premium product. We farm, harvest, package and successfully export our product without the input or reliance of ‘local middlemen’ operators. This keeps operational costs competitive and viable during production and distribution. The operation provides employment, training, revenue and opportunities overseas for our local people.

SUPPORTERS

Karen Mapusua

I am an organic advocate, past and future organic farmer and current organic home gardener.