Results for Agriculture

Tongan agricultural exporters, Nishi Trading have started trialling air freight shipments of produce, an approach to ensure that fresh quality exports reach customers and markets in New Zealand.

One of two demonstration Organic Learning Farms, the Mahuleva Farm on Tongatapu was launched today, 8 August 2023. Another in Vava’u, the ‘Ovava Farm, will be launched soon.

Development of trade in fresh watermelons from Tonga to New Zealand is being supported by the Tonga Watermelon Export Taskforce (TWET) and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) program, through training and skills development conducted in June on Tongatapu.

The Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Reehana Rifat Raza, made an inaugural visit to Tonga this week, after taking up her position on 20 May 2022.  She said that the two-day visit, underscored IFAD's commitment to expanding its engagements with its portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region, with Tonga, Fiji and Kiribati being a focal point of interest.

The Royal Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade Show for Tongatapu scheduled for this weekend has been postponed until 10 June, and the 'Eua show is postponed until 17 June, in respect of the passing of HRH Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu. Her funeral is to be held in Tonga soon.

A ‘Save our Seeds’ training was held for farmers and agricultural representatives this week in the launch of a 'Pacific Seeds for Life' program that aims at achieving food security in Tonga.

The Royal Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade Show will return in June to July this year, after a hiatus of three-years due to COVID-19 and the 2022 Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunamis.

Twenty Tongan women joined a gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) Harvesting and Post-Harvesting training session, to improve the watermelon export pathway to support women in the agriculture sector in Nuku'alofa, on 17 November.

Investment in Kava is critical in order to enhance its value and take it to global markets, Tonga's Minister for Agriculture, Foods and Forestry, Lord Fohe, told a Kava national consultation in Nuku'alofa recently. Regional consultations are soliciting the views of individual Pacific Island countries and kava stakeholders in order to determine the priorities for the development of a Pacific Regional Kava Strategy.