| ID: | 86689 |
|---|---|
| Country: | Tonga |
| Title: | Tonga - Pacific Islands Rural and Agriculture Stimulus Facility (PIRAS) - June 2023 |
| Description: |
Tevita Tukia, an agricultural extension officer with MORDI Tonga Trust, at the Ha'atafu cluster farm on Tongatapu's west side. The powerful Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) underwater volcano eruption triggered a tsunami that devastated low-lying coastal areas, including on Tongatapu in January 2022. The Ha'atafu cluster farm was completely destroyed by the heavy ash and the tsunami. Building on its earlier responses to climate change, natural disasters and the COVID-19 crisis to address food security and nutrition, MORDI Tonga Trust, IFAD’s local implementing partner, was there to help farmers and gardeners recover and rebuild their food systems after the HTHH natural disaster. Through the IFAD-supported projects, Pacific Islands Rural and Agriculture Stimulus Facility (PIRAS) and the Tonga Rural Innovation Programme (TRIP II), islanders define and implement their own community development plans to increase production capacity of nutritious, locally grown foods, with the financial and technical support of DFAT (AUSAid) and the New Zealand Aid Programme. MORDI’s agricultural extension agents teach the farmers about crop rotation, cultivation techniques and new technologies through hands-on ‘farmer field school’ training. Each cluster farmer has his own plot, but they help each other grow traditional root crops, like taro, yam and sweet potatoes, which they use for family consumption and sell locally and for export. Together, they are strengthening food security and livelihoods for the good health and well-being of their island community. There is an old proverb in Tonga: “oua lau e kafo kae lau e lava” (stay positive and count your blessings). In Tongan culture, food and tradition bring communities together – having enough food to share with others is one of life’s greatest blessings. IFAD’s support for community-driven development has empowered the cluster farmers to produce and share more locally grown, nutritious foods again. |
| Size: | 1.85 MB; 1417 x 945 pixels; 120 x 80 mm (print at 300 DPI); 375 x 250 mm (screen at 96 DPI); |
| Show more details: | Todd Marvel Henry |
| Copyright: | © IFAD/ Todd Marvel Henry |
| Categories: | New from Asia and the Pacific |
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