Nutritionally-poor diets as a result of over-consumption of poor quality processed foods are one of the main contributing factors to the alarming level of non-communicable diseases and the obesity pandemic observed today in the Pacific. National, regional and international health-related programmes have therefore targeted improving nutrition with the promotion of nutritionally rich local vegetables frequently a major programme activity. Indigenous vegetables not only provide nutritional benefits. Their resilience to climate extremes is increasingly being reported and the global interest in unique and healthy foods presents opportunities for market development, both locally and overseas. Despite significant promotional activities and a seeming awareness of their potential, indigenous vegetables remain neglected, with consumption relatively low, although differences exist across the Pacific. The lack of agronomic, morphological and nutritional information and limited availability of good quality planting material through seed systems are just two of several reasons given for the failure of indigenous vegetables to make the transition from subsistence crops of limited use to crops that are more researched, available, utilized and commercially competitive. This paper discusses case studies from within and outside of the Pacific to consider how much the lack of effective germplasm information and seed systems are real constraints in the development of indigenous vegetables, and the role of formal and informal approaches in their conservation and improvement. Further, the influence of social, cultural, sectoral and economic perceptions on developing appropriate agricultural support services is also considered.

The island state of Pohnpei, Micronesia, has experienced much change in diet and lifestyle since the 1970s. Serious problems of micronutrient deficiencies and non-communicable disease such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer have emerged, following the neglect of traditional local foods and the shift to rice and imported processed foods. An awareness campaign on the benefits of local food, especially carotenoid-rich bananas for nutrition, is the subject of this chapter. A community, inter-agency, participatory programme was implemented focused on raising awareness on island food production and consumption. Messages were shared on horticulture, cooking, food processing and conservation through mass media, posters, print materials, photography, national postal stamps, workshops, displays, youth clubs, farmers' fairs, competitions, e-mail and slogans: 'Go Yellow' and 'Let's Go Local'. Research was undertaken in food analysis, genebank collections and community case studies as part of a global health project.As yellow-fleshed carotenoid-rich foods (banana, taro, pandanus and breadfruit varieties) were identified and promoted, banana and taro consumption increased as did the number of the varieties consumed. Carotenoid-rich banana varieties not previously marketed such as Karat, Utin Iap and Daiwang became popular. Foods ready for consumption using local banana and taro varieties appeared in the markets where these had not been sold previously. The awareness campaign stimulated great interest in Pohnpei and throughout the region with invitations to present at international meetings and 'Go Local' workshops outside Pohnpei. It was proclaimed as an awareness success and consideration should be given to applying this approach to other Pacific Islands.

This paper presents a summary of Pohnpei, Federated States Micronesia's involvement in a global health study focused on documenting traditional food systems in different parts of the world and providing evidence that local resources are critical for food security, nutrition and health. The Pohnpei study was based in Mand Community, Madolenihmw. The study found that there was a great diversity of foods locally available (381 food items documented), but these were underused. Overweight, obesity, diabetes, and vitamin A deficiency were identified as serious problems. Interventions included community meetings, school activities, and agriculture workshops, cooking classes, charcoal oven development, weight loss and planting competitions, poster campaigns and other relevant mass media. Significant dietary improvements were achieved following the intervention efforts, as well as positive changes in attitude towards local food including: decrease in average daily rice consumption from 846 g/person in 2005 to 544 g/person in 2007 (p = 0.0002); increase in provitamin A carotenoid intake from 227 microg/person in 2005 to 475 microg/person in 2007 (p = 0.02); increased frequency of consumption of local banana (53%), giant swamp taro (476%), local vegetables (130%); and increased dietary diversity (4.8 local food groups consumed in 2005 to 5.5 in 2007). Another positive outcome in Pohnpei was the popularization of the slogan "Let's Go Local."

Resistant Starch (RS) is a type of starch that is resistant to starch hydrolyzing enzymes in the stomach and thus behaves more like dietary fibre. RS has been shown to have beneficial effects in disease prevention including modulation of glycaemic index diabetes, cholesterol lowering capability and weight management, which are critically important for many people in the Federated States of Micronesia. Green bananas are known to contain substantial concentrations of RS and are a common part of the Micronesian diet. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the RS content in banana cultivars from Pohnpei, Micronesia: Daiwang, Inahsio, Karat, Utin Kerenis and Utin Ruk, for which no such information was available. Utin Kerenis, Inahsio and Utin Ruk were found to contain the highest amounts of RS. The fate of RS after incorporation into a food product (i.e., pancakes) was also studied and a significant reduction in the RS content was found for each cultivar after cooking. Microscopy of the banana samples indicated that the overall morphology of the cultivars was similar. In conclusion, green banana, including these varieties, should be promoted in Micronesia and other places for their rich RS content and related health benefits including diabetes control. Further research is needed to more clearly determine the effects of cooking and food processing on RS.

Dietary- and lifestyle-related diseases are problems of epidemic proportion in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Public health resources to help prevent nutrition-related problems are limited. There is also concern about biodiversity, neglect of traditional staple foods, and threatened loss of traditional knowledge. A "Go Local" campaign was initiated to increase production and consumption of locally grown foods, for their Culture, Health, Environment, Economics, and Food security ("CHEEF") benefits. To provide updates and discuss local island food topics, the Island Food Community of Pohnpei launched an interagency email network in 2003. Interested members' email addresses were recorded in distribution lists, weekly/bi-weekly emails were sent and from these messages, a database was organized to record email topic details. An analysis of all emails up to July 2009 showed that membership had expanded to over 600 listed people from all FSM states, other Pacific Island countries and beyond. Information was shared on topics ranging from scientific findings of carotenoid content in local island food cultivars, to discussions on how daily habits related to island food use can be improved. Over 200 men and women, aged 22 to 80 years, contributed items, some indicating that they had shared emails to a further network at their workplace or community. In conclusion, this email network is a simple, cost-effective method to share information, create awareness, and mobilize island food promotion efforts with potential for providing health, biodiversity and other benefits of island foods to populations in the FSM and other countries.

Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia, located in the Northern Pacific Ocean, has a great diversity of plants, including 48 giant swamp taros, 55 bananas, 133 breadfruits, and 171 yam cultivars among the staple food crops. However, since the 1970s, traditional food crops have been neglected with the shift to imported processed foods. Although nutritional status was previously good, dietary and lifestyle changes have led to serious nutrition-related health problems. Over half of the preschool children suffer from vitamin A deficiency, adults are commonly obese, and approximately 20% of adults are diabetic. There is concern about loss of traditional knowledge. Thus, the Island Food Community of Pohnpei, a non-governmental organization, initiated activities to increase production and consumption of island foods for the many benefits these offer (food security, health, economic, environment, and culture). Four strategic areas of work were established: innovative awareness activities (including posters presenting the "Yellow Varieties Message" relating to the value of yellow-fleshed cultivars, provitamin A carotenoid content and health benefits; proclamation of 'Karat' as the Pohnpei State Banana; national 'Karat' postal stamps; Going Yellow video; Go Local billboards and email network); conservation of rare carotenoid-rich cultivars in gene bank collections (including Pandanus, an atoll island food); small-scale processing of local foods; and research (including nutrient analysis, documentation of the traditional food system as part of a global health project, and dietary/health assessments). Many traditional carotenoid-rich cultivars (i.e., banana, taro, pandanus) having the potential to protect against vitamin A deficiency, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease were identified. Measurable impact from the campaign through marketing and dietary studies was clearly shown, e.g., 'Karat' was previously not marketed but is now regularly available at local markets. Dietary improvement has been shown. The Let's Go Local initiative, with its inter-agency, participatory, ethnographic approach, has become well-known in many Micronesian communities. Further work, including greater support and resources in order to bring the awareness message to more communities, developing small-scale processing of local crops, and increasing availability of planting materials, is needed to expand the program to achieve full impact. Due to the initial response to our program, it is expected that this approach will be successful. Some areas of this program may be relevant to other communities where similar local foods have been neglected and underutilized.

This study focused on the screening of 15 breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) cultivars and one preserved breadfruit product from Micronesia for their content of carotenoids. These substances have been found to have important health benefits, protecting against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and protection against vitamin A deficiency. Participatory ethnographic methods were used to select cultivars for analyses using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Ripe fresh seeded breadfruit (A. mariannensis) and dried seeded breadfruit paste contained high levels of P-carotene (up to 868 mu g/100 g) and other carotenoids. Other cultivars contained significant levels of lutein (up to 750 mu g/100 g) and total carotenoids (up to 1260 mu g/100 g). These nutrient-rich breadfruit cultivars and breadfruit products should be promoted for their health benefits.