About | Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services

ABOUT US

Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (PIRAS) was formed in response to a demand by the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to establish an Extension Network to champion leadership, policy and advocacy,and capacity building of extension services in the Pacific.

PIRAS was established initially in 2005 at the first ever Pacific Extension Summit convened by the Pacific Community (SPC) in the Kingdom of Tonga and later endorsed by the Pacific Heads of Agriculture Services (HOAFS) and the Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (MOAF) in 2009.

In August 2015, with funding support from the EU through the Pacific Agriculture Policy Project (PAPP), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), PIRAS was revived and a governing body and priority areas established.

OUR VISION

The vision of PIRAS is to promote “Extension Excellence for Prosperous and Resilient Communities” in the PICTs.

OUR MISSION

The mission of PIRAS is to strengthen capacity of RAS in the PICTs to support food security and sustainable livelihoods needs of the Pacific communities.

OUR VALUES

To support its vision and mission, the core values of PIRAS include:

Champion governance and leadership in RAS through program development and efficiency in service delivery.

Commit to regional and international cooperation to support advocacy and lobbying for more investment in RAS.

Promote excellence and professionalism in RAS through effective partnership, learning and networking.

Foster demand-driven information and knowledge exchange to support scaling of innovation in RAS.

Uphold equity by adding value and creating benefits for all members.

WHAT WE DO

The functions of PIRAS include:

Building
We provide capacity building for AAS in the Pacific through capacity needs assessments, education and training, skills enhancement and information and knowledge sharing.
Policy and Advocacy
We promote evidence-based best practices and policies for RAS through effective partnership mechanisms, networking, policy dialogues and advocacy.
Partnership in AAS
PIRAS also recognises that there are other advisory services outside the government services and recognises the need to strengthen wider partnerships with the private sector and other service providers through dialogues, partnership platforms and joint activities.
Management
We support ongoing inventory and promotion of information and knowledge in the Pacific through information and knowledge management and dissemination through knowledge management systems and social media.

GOVERNANCE

PIRAS is governed by a board with 10 members, three seats from the Pacific Subregionals (Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia) and one each seat representative from Research Institutions, Farmers Organizations, Private Sector, Academia, Women in Agriculture, SPC and International Linkages.

The Land Resource Division (LRD) of the Pacific Community (SPC) serves as the Secretariat for PIRAS.

Our Governing Body

Ms Kinaai Kairo

Chair
Director, Agriculture and Livestock Division
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (MELAD)
Kiribati Government
Representing Micronesia Subregional
Mr Michael Ho'ota

Vice Chair
Director, Department of Extension
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Solomon Islands
Representing Melanesia Subregional
Mr William Wigmore

Member
Director, Research and Extension Division
Ministry of Agriculture
Cook Islands
Representing Polynesia
Dr Sonny Lameta

Member
Extension Lecture, University of South Pacific
- School Of Agriculture and Food Technology (USP-SAFT)
Representing USP
Mr Mulitalo Penaia Saena

Member
Exporter representing Private Sector, Samoa
Dr Christine King

Member
Australia
Representing International Linkages
Ms Maria Linibi

Member
CEO, Women in Agriculture
Papua new Guinea
Representing Women in Agriculture
Representing Farmers of Organizations (vacant)

OUR DONORS

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has long supported Fiji and its rural people.

The European Union

US AID

CONTACTS

For more information on PIRAS, please contact PIRAS Secretariat:

Mr Gibson Susumu
Programme Leader
Sustainable Agriculture Programme
Land Resources Division
The Pacific Community
Suva Regional Office
Email: [email protected]

OR
Land Resource Division
The Pacific Community (SPC)
3 Luke Street, Nabua
Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji
Email: [email protected]