Results for Agriculture

Tonga's Qualification and Accreditation Board (TQAB) today denied that they are recognising the new Certificate in Horticulture awarded by the ‘Eua Island Farmer Field School under the Tonga Rural Innovation Project to 'Eua farmers recently.

Tongatapu’s Royal Agricultural, Fisheries and Tonga Made Show 2016 has again been postponed to be held on August 26-27 due to wet weather.

A goal of year round agricultural harvesting of top quality organic vegetables is within reach for Tonga, except that farmers need to understand just how valuable pig shit really is in order to achieve this. A remarkable method of “biogas farming” using pigs and their waste to produce high yield top quality produce could transform subsistence farming incomes. It’s been demonstrated that a properly run biogas farm in Tonga can earn $200,000 or more a year - yet the opportunity is not being fully realized. By Eleanor Gee

Food Security for Tonga is at the heart of the new 'Tonga 2015 National Agricultural Census' report that was released this morning, 28 April in Nuku’alofa. It is Tonga’s first Agricultural Census since 2001, and there has been a lack of reliable statistics for government planners and policy makers in the industry, which has seen a declining contribution to GDP over the last decade.

Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala launched a pilot agricultural development project at the Royal Estate, the Villa, today Tuesday 2 February. The Thai supported project aims to demonstrate sustainable agriculture to Tongans. Photos by Linny Folau

Looking at the possibility of opening up a new market for Tongan squash exports to China, a delegation of quarantine officials from China arrived in Tonga today on an exploratory visit, at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supporting an initiative of Tongan squash exporters.

A Coronation Royal Agricultural Show is expected to be opened by King Tupou VI on 5 August in Niuatoputapu, a national event that follows after the coronation celebrations wrapped up on 7 July in Nuku’alofa.

A ban on airline passengers importing fruit from Auckland, New Zealand, to Tonga remains enforced by Tonga's Quarantine authorities.

Siutoni Tupou, Tonga's new Export Pathway Manager, today received a new vehicle, and equipment to help her maintain an important working relationship between Tonga's export farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries, assisted by the Australian-funded Pacific Horticulture and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA).