FAO assists community aquaculture in Tonga [1]
Friday, May 10, 2013 - 17:19. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
Hon. Sangster Saulala, and the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands, Gavin Wall. May 2013.
Development of community-based milkfish farming in Tonga will be given a boost through a project under the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme.
The USD231,000 project will work on Nomuka Island and Tongatapu. The project document was signed by Tonga's Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries, Hon. Sangster Saulala, and the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands, Gavin Wall, during the 10th Meeting of FAO South West Pacific Ministers for Agriculture held in Apia, Samoa, 11-13 April 2013.
The project aims to develop commercially viable and environment-friendly milkfish farming systems in Nomuka Island and Tongatapu that will result in a sustainable source of food and income for island communities in Tonga.
Under the MAFFF-FAO project, the viability of community-based milkfish farming systems will be demonstrated by establishing and operating two pilot aquaculture systems. This will require the identification of suitable farm sites, environmental impact analysis, construction of the farm ponds, training in farm operations and management, local feed production, post harvest handling of the fish and marketing.
The comminities will be involved in each step of the process and will receive extensive training in the operation of the farm as well as in business management. Successful implementation of the project will enhance food security and help to establish viable income sources for local communities and to increase local production of nutricious food. - FAO Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands.