Overview

The Australian Government is supporting a peaceful, stable, and prosperous future for Australia and our region by investing in climate resilient agriculture and food security through a mix of global, regional and bilateral initiatives.

Pacific Food Security Initiative

$9.5 million, 2020 - 2024

Across the Pacific, most people live in rural areas and depend on farming and fishing as for food, employment and income. This initiative will increase the availability and affordability of local, nutritious foods which are vital for health and long-term wellbeing. Invigorating Pacific food systems can also generate significant local income and employment, boosting economic opportunities for rural communities and providing effective, sustainable pathways to build climate resilience. We work in partnership with Governments, regional organisations, the private sector, NGOs and other community partners, including through the Atoll Food Futures project.

Papua New Guinea Agriculture Policy Support Program

$8 million, 2024-2028

Australia is supporting the establishment of an International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) country office in Papua New Guinea. IFPRI collaborates with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Department of Health (DoH), National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), and National Research Institute (NRI) to provide research based policy solutions. Through a flexible and agile program of applied policy support centred around annual work plans which are jointly developed with PNG Government agencies, IFPRI’s work aligns directly with PNG Government priorities.

Supporting Pacific Genetic Diversity for Climate Resilient Agriculture

$2.6 million, 2024-2028

The Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT) is the only regional gene bank that has the capacity to conserve and distribute diverse food plant genetic material from key Pacific crops. Australia’s partnership builds on a successful initial five-year phase of collaboration and focusses on supporting CePaCT to meet international gene bank standards, strengthen conservation and diversity of the collection for climate adaptation and facilitate access for communities to climate resilient planting material.

Global Agricultural and Food Security Program

$150 million, 2010 - 2024

Australia is a strong supporter of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP). GAFSP is a multilateral financing mechanism, with the aim of boosting investment in agriculture and food security.

GAFSP provides large grants to low-income countries and small grants to producer organisations. These grants assist with the implementation of national strategies to raise agricultural productivity, link farmers to markets, improve non-farm rural livelihoods, and reduce risk and vulnerability. Through its private sector financing arrangements, it also provides concessional and blended finance to agribusinesses, rural banks and other private sector actors to stimulate additional agribusiness and rural finance activity in low-income countries.

GAFSP has allocated close to USD1.7 billion since 2010 which has assisted some 153 million farmers in some of the world's poorest countries including Cambodia and Timor-Leste. Tuvalu and Kiribati received GAFSP funding under a targeted funding round which for fragile states. Vanuatu and Solomon Islands also received funding for a nutrition sensitive agriculture initiative.

Additional information on the partnership can be found at Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).

Market Development Facility (MDF) Phase 2

$139.4 million, 2017-2027

The Market Development Facility (MDF) is a multi-country initiative designed to stimulate the private sector in strategic economic areas to achieve sustainable economic growth with a focus on moving people out of poverty and adapting to climate change. MDF supports interventions across a range of sectors including in agriculture and fisheries as well as tourism, service industries, ICT and finance.

MDF uses economic and market analysis to identify how markets can work better to create economic opportunity for poor people and women in particular. MDF then negotiates partnerships with strategically positioned private and public sector organisations to identify and grow profitable and scalable commercial opportunities. Each partnership comprises a tailor-made package of activities that enables the partner to innovate, invest or undertake reforms such so that small farms and firms benefit from better access to production inputs, services and end markets.

The program currently operates in Fiji, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. MDF is co-funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Phase 2 of MDF builds on the achievements of Phase 1 which began in 2011.

Additional information on the partnership can be found at Market Development Facility.

To'os ba Moris Di'ak/Farming for Prosperity (TOMAK)

$50 million, 2016-2026

TOMAK is a 10-year (2016-2026) agriculture livelihoods program implemented in Timor-Leste. TOMAK is currently in the second phase of implementation from 2022-2026. TOMAK is implemented in partnership with Timor-Leste's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, Ministry of Health, Secretary of State for Equality, municipal and local authorities, as well as NGOs and the private sector.

The program aims to increase the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods, improve household food security and dietary diversity, and improve government policies, programs, and services. To achieve this, TOMAK examines food supply chains and the local food environment to support farming families, as well provide capacity development to its partners.

Additional information can be found at TOMAK.

Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED)

$87 million, 2022-2027

CAPRED focuses on three pillars in Cambodia: agriculture and agro-processing, infrastructure services, and trade, investment and enterprise development.

The overall aim of the partnership is that Cambodia has sustainable, resilient, and inclusive economic growth and development. Gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) and climate adaptation and mitigation considerations are also priorities.

CAPRED is working to improve both enabling policies and financial incentives for investment especially for women-led enterprises and marginalised groups. The partnership promotes high value-added agriculture and increase agricultural productivity as part of its key activities.

Additional information on the partnership can be found at CAPRED.

Pacific Horticultural & Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus)

$63.9 million, 2018-2026

Pacific Horticultural & Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) provides practical and targeted assistance to help Pacific island countries manage regulatory aspects associated with exporting primary and value-added products. This encompasses gaining access for products into new markets, and helping to manage issues associated with maintaining and improving existing market access pathways.

PHAMA Plus support is practically oriented to strengthen biosecurity and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) compliance by Pacific countries to better facilitate exports.

Core countries assisted through PHAMA Plus are Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. PHAMA Plus has also expanded to include PACER Plus signatory countries of the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue and Tuvalu. PHAMA Plus is also supported by the New Zealand government.

Additional information on the partnership can be found at PHAMA Plus.