SUVA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Pacific Community (SPC) has inaugurated the region's first-ever Cryopreservation Laboratory at its Center for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT) in Fiji, marking a major milestone in regional efforts to conserve the Pacific's rich agricultural biodiversity.
The facility will safeguard more than 2,000 plant varieties and over 100 crop and tree species collected over the past two decades, including culturally significant crops such as taro, yam, banana, breadfruit, cassava, and coconuts, reported Fiji Broadcasting Corporation news website on Thursday.
SPC Deputy Director-General Paula Vivili said the new CryoLab uses advanced freezing technology to safely preserve crops that cannot survive long under normal laboratory conditions, ensuring they remain viable for future generations.
The lab serves as a regional safeguard for national plant collections from across Pacific Island countries and territories, providing critical backup for future food security, research, and resilience against climate change.
It will also help protect Fiji's endemic tree species, many of which hold deep cultural and spiritual significance.
The CePaCT, established by SPC in 1998 and based in Suva, is recognized as the Pacific's genebank. It stores and distributes plant material to support food security, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture across the region.
The new CryoLab adds a long-term preservation capability, complementing existing in-vitro and field-based conservation methods. ■
