Heilala Vanilla

Concern over impacts of volcanic eruption on agriculture in Tonga

For days after the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano on 15 January the kingdom was covered in a blanket of volcanic ash and later soaked with acid rain.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns the ash could delay or stunt agricultural harvests.

"With roughly 86 percent of Tongans engaged in agriculture, FAO is extremely concerned about the potential impacts across all agriculture sectors, including fisheries, crops and livestock," the FAO said in a statement shortly after the volcanic eruption and tsunami in January.

Celebrating IO years since its first harvest