SPECIALTY CROPS FOR PACIFIC ISLANDS
by Craig R. Elevitch (editor)
Specialty crops provide a rapidly growing economic opportunity for farmers and gardeners who are interested in diversifying their crops and who are willing to innovate their production methods, postharvest processing, and marketing. This project promotes high quality food, fiber, and healthcare crops grown in diverse agroforestry systems to provide family farms both subsistence and commercial opportunities.
Farm and Forest Production and Marketing (FFPM) profiles for 32 crops detail essential information for crop development: horticulture and botany; the roles for each crop in mixed-species agroforestry; nutrition and food security; commercial products, product quality standards; location and size of markets; post-harvest processing; opportunities for local value-added processing; and the potential for genetic improvement.
Download the book chapters below or purchase the book (your purchase helps support our work).
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Bamboo (various species) |
Dr. Andrew Benton, International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR); Dr. Lex A.J. Thomson, FACT Project, Secretariat of the Pacific Community; Peter Berg and Susan Ruskin, bamboo experts, Hawai'i |
(2.1MB PDF) |
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Banana & Plantain (Musa spp.) |
Jeff Daniells, Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation; Dr. Lois Englberger, Island Food Community of Pohnpei; Adelino S. Lorens, Office of Economic Affairs, Pohnpei |
(2.6MB PDF) |
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Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) |
Dr. Scot C. Nelson, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa; and K.T. Cannon-Eger, agriculturalist |
(1.2MB PDF) |
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Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) |
Dr. Diane Ragone, Breadfruit Institute, National Tropical Botanical Garden |
(1.1MB PDF) |
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Chili Pepper (Capsicum spp.) |
Dr. Hector Valenzuela, Dept. Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UH Manoa |
(1.2MB PDF) |
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Chocolate, Cacao (Theobroma cacao) |
Dr. Prakash K. Hebbar, CropBioSol Inc. Crop Management/IPM Consultants, Dr. H.C. 'Skip' Bittenbender, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa; Daniel O'Doherty, CTAHR, UH Manoa |
(2.7MB PDF) |
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Coconut (Cocos nucifera) |
Dr. Mike Foale, University of Queensland; Dr. Hugh Harries, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |
(1.5MB PDF) |
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Coffee (Coffea arabica) |
Virginia Easton Smith, UH Manoa, Cooperative Extension Service-Kona; Dr. Shawn Steiman, Coffea Consulting; Craig Elevitch, Permanent Agriculture Resources |
(1.9MB PDF) |
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Giant Swamp Taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis, syn. C. merkusii) |
Dr. Harley Manner, University of Guam, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences |
(1.3MB PDF) |
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Giant Taro, 'ape (Alocasia macrorrhiza) |
Dr. Harley Manner, University of Guam, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences |
(1.6MB PDF) |
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Ginger (edible) (Zingiber officinale) |
Dr. Hector Valenzuela, Dept. Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UH Manoa |
(1.1MB PDF) |
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Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) |
Dr. Lorna Tsutsumi, Forestry & Natural Resource Management, UH Hilo; Darcy E. Oishi, Hawaii Department of Agriculture |
(1.6MB PDF) |
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Kava (Piper methysticum) |
Dr. Scot C. Nelson, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa |
(1.4MB PDF) |
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Koa (Acacia koa) |
Dr. JB Friday, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa |
(2.8MB PDF) |
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Lychee (Litchi chinensis) |
Dr. Yan Diczbalis, Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation |
(1.1MB PDF) |
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Macadamia Nut (Macadamia integrifolia & M. tetraphylla) |
Dr. Mike Nagao, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa |
(1.5MB PDF) |
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Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) |
Dr. Yan Diczbalis, Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation |
(1.1MB PDF) |
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Moringa (Moringa oleifera) |
Dr. Ted Radovich, Dept. Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UH Manoa |
(0.8MB PDF) |
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Pumpkin & Squash (Cucurbita spp.) |
Dr. Ted Radovich, Dept. Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UH Manoa |
(1.5MB PDF) |
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Sandalwood (Santalum spp.) |
Dr. Lex A.J. Thomson, FACT Project, Secretariat of the Pacific Community; Dr. John Doran, independent consultant; Dr. Danica Harbaugh Reynaud, AuthenTechnologies; Dr. Mark D. Merlin, Botany Department, UH Manoa |
(2.8MB PDF) |
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Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) |
Dr. Scot C. Nelson, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa |
(1.7MB PDF) |
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Tamanu, Kamani (Calophyllum inophyllum) |
Dr. JB Friday and Dr. Richard Ogoshi, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa |
(1.3MB PDF) |
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Tannia (Xanthosoma spp.) |
Dr. Harley Manner, University of Guam, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences |
(1.2MB PDF) |
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Taro (Colocasia esculenta) |
Dr. Harley Manner, University of Guam, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Dr. Mary Taylor, Secretariat of the Pacific Community |
(2.3MB PDF) |
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Tea (Camellia sinensis) |
Koen den Braber, ADDA Organic Project, Hanoi, Vietnam; Dwight Sato, UH Manoa, Cooperative Extension Service-Hilo; Eva Lee, tea grower and consultant, Volcano, Hawai'i |
(2.0MB PDF) |
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Vanilla (Vanilla fragrans) |
Dr. Janice Y. Uchida, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa |
(1.4MB PDF) |
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Highlighting value-added strategies
Avocado (Persea americana) |
Craig Elevitch, Permanent Agriculture Resources and Ken Love, tropical fruit consultant |
(2.2MB PDF) |
The project supports:
- integrating trees and crops (agroforestry)
- commercial and non-commercial plantings of all sizes, including homegardens
- small-scale commercial operations suitable for small lots
- local food production for happier and healthier communities
- traditional crops
- community food self-reliance.
Project outcomes include increased adoption of specialty crops, micro-enterprise development, local food production, and sustainable multi-crop agroforestry systems, thereby supporting economic and ecological viability of our communities.
The project is funded by:
- USDA Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program and the
- County of Hawai'i Department of Research and Development in partnership with the Big Island Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council
SPONSORSHIP
Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry is sponsored by:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) Program.
- The County of Hawai'i Department of Research and Development in partnership with the Big Island Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council co-sponsored publication of the cacao, coffee, tea, and vanilla profiles.
- Matching contributions came from the project collaborators' respective organizations.
- Opportunities for co-sponsors are still available.
