Ms Karen Mapusua

Director, Land Resources Division, The Pacific Community

Karen Mapusua is Director of the Land Resources Division of the Pacific Community which provides technical and scientific support the Pacific Island countries & territories on all aspects of agriculture and forestry.

She has worked in rural development in the Pacific region for close to 26 years including co-founding the Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community (POETCom) leading in implementing the Pacific Organic Standard and Guarantee Scheme, building tools to support organic policy development, and establishing alternative forms of certification that empower farmers.

Karen has driven the development of the Pacific Community Flagship on Food Systems for improved health, nutrition and resilience outcomes and has actively promoted economic empowerment of women through agricultural value chains.

Karen is President of IFOAM-Organics International, the global umbrella body for the organic agriculture movement and previously served on the Board of Directors of Fairtrade Australia New Zealand. She is a national of Samoa and Australia.