Our Staffs

	Secretary of Agriculture Anthony Brown This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it		Chief Administration Moekopu Vogel This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
	Senior Administration Tina Akama This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it		Director of Bio-security Ngatoko Ngatoko This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
	Deputy Director of Biosecurity Service Pavai Taramai This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	"image"	Bio-security Officers
	Director of Crop Research and Development William Wigmore This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it		Entomologist Dr. Maja Poeschko
	Chief Livestock Officer Tiria Rere This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it		Senior Livestock Officer Edwin Apera This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
	Director of Project Coordinator Maria Tuoro This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it		Senior Project Officer Noo Tokan This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Our Location

The Ministry of Agriculture’s main office is located in the Vaka district of Puaikura in the main village collectively called Arorangi. Within the main office compound is housed its Secretariat/Administration service, Bio-security Division, Livestock Division, Projects & Planning Division, Nursery and Field Extension Services.

Address: Arorangi, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 96 Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Telephone: 28711
Fax: 21881

Purpose

The purpose of the Ministry of Agriculture is two-fold:

1. enact all agricultural legislation pertaining to the export and import of plants and plant products, animals and animal products, so as to maximise the contribution of the sector to the country’s economic development while at the same time safeguarding its fragile environment from the intrusion of unwanted pests and diseases; and
2. implement Government policy relating to agriculture sector development under its economic sustainability goal.

Vision

For the country to be self sufficient in food and livestock production to the extent possible, and to be relatively free of serious plant and animal pests and diseases.

Sector Priorities Including Outer Islands

The following are the current priority areas for the agriculture sector:

• Minimisation of pest intrusions by streamlining and tightening quarantine activities at the ports of entry
• Review and update the biosecurity legislation of the country
• Increasing the local production of livestock (pigs, poultry, goats) fruits, vegetables and rootcrops to cater for the increased demand on the local market brought about partly by the expanded tourism industry
• Management of horticultural pests and diseases
• Promotion of organic agriculture due to world trends and the increasing input costs associated with the conventional methods of production
• Re-establishing the agricultural research station on Mauke for the benefit of all islands
• In collaboration with FAO, USP and SPC, implement funded projects in pest management, agricultural production & marketing, floriculture, food standards, information acquisition and dissemination, plant propagation, and agriculture infrastructure

Sector Research Priorities

• Survey to establish the status of livestock diseases
• Management of livestock diseases
• Management of viral infestations on selected crops
• Potential market outlets overseas for Cook Islands agricultural products
• Food processing/value adding and their potential for the local and export markets
• Post harvest treatment of crops
• Agricultural labour market