Tonga agriculture

This has been confirmed by a report put together by the United Nations Development Programme, titled the ‘Economic Impacts of Natural Hazards on Vulnerable Populations in Tonga’.

The report stated that the activity is carried out mostly on a subsistence basis and is particularly vulnerable to cyclone damage, severely affecting the poorest and the most vulnerable in the population.

Funded by SPC and FAO, the seed centre supports a strengthened seeds system on Eua, Tonga through the Hango Agricultural College.

The seed centre involves climate-resilient crops from the SPC Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT) and open-pollinated vegetable seed centre to support sustainable seed production in Tonga.

A mixed cropping system using fruit trees and other resilient root crop varieties will be part of the seed centre.

The project directly supports Tonga’s new Agriculture Sector Plan (TASP) 2016-20 that was developed by World Bank, UNDP and SPC.

CEO of Agriculture Dr. Viliami Manu said close to 4000 tons of squash pumpkin was exported, although this was a short fall from the target of more than 4000 tonnes.

More than 2000 tonnes was exported to Japan more than 1000 tons to South Korea and the rest were for New Zealand and China.

Last year was a milestone for growers as China showed interest as an Exporter although only 24 tonnes was the first ever shipment sent during December 2016.

CEO said 2016 was a good year for squash export compared to 2014 due to the prolonged droughts.