The honorable Minister for MAFF was honoured to open the inception workshop for the FAO Technical Cooperation Project which was held at Tano’a Hotel on the 20th of Feb 2019. The objective of this workshop is to agree on implementation, coordination arrangements and develop a detailed work plan for the FAO Technical Cooperation Project and to “Support  to Tonga Horticulture Competitiveness” and agree on implementation arrangements for the assessment study on postharvest loses along Tonga’s fruit and vegetable chains (LOA). There were representer from the FAO and many other participants from local farmers and other ministry, they were happy to be there to support and to discuss what to do to achieve the goals of this project.This project is fully funded by FAO. 

 

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The Launching of Cattle And Sheep Integrated Production And Management For Tonga officially opened by Hon. Semisi Tauelangi Fakahau, Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Forests and Fisheries at Davina Conference Room on 30th August 20017 with 40 people attended, consisting of the Project Committee, staff and invited guests who were mainly farmers.

The workshop was headed by Dr Katinka deBalogh who is based in Bangkok. The leading technical officer (LTO) was Dr Viliami Fakava who resides in Samoa and Dr Joe Fifita (a NZ veterinarian working in the King Country area of the Waikato) is the International consultant. Pau Likiliki is the resident FAO representative, with Viliami Taufa as the NPC (national project coordinator) from MAFFF. Fehi Moala completes the Project Committee and is the national consultant (NC).

TCP/TON/3602 …This is the Inception Workshop for “Cattle and sheep integrated production and management, to improve animal production and farm productivity in sheep and cattle. It is a two-year program with a $US364,000 funding with partnership between FAO which provides funding and the technical expertise for the project and the government through MAFFF which raised the initiative in 2012 as it looked for an overseas donor.

Vision ….To grow lean meat that is healthy, affordable and reduces the import of fatty meat from overseas which causes and increases the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) amongst Tongans,

 The availability of lean meat locally will give consumers a choice with healthy meat available at affordable prices. The government has imposed measures to help with the reduction of NCDs in the kingdom.

 Objectives  …..To make sure that the project committee, staff and farmers understand what the project is about and the collaborative activities involved, especially from the stakeholders.

The activities are specific regarding roles, setting up of six nucleus herds throughout Tonga (3 in Ttpu, 1 in Vv, 1 in Hap and 1 in ‘Eua. distribution of animals (40 sheep and 40 cattle nationally), identifying breeds used (to be confirmed when AB specialist arrives in November), improved pastures and feeds for stocks (continuing with improved species imported) and conducting training programs for both staff and farmers alike.

Project Collaborators  …The project committee (PC) will run and manage the trial with help from MAFFF staff and farmers, Members of the PC contributed during the workshop, enlightening the audience with the expected tasks to undertake.

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The Handover Ceremony of the Endoscope System was held on 21st  June, 2017 at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forest’s  Main Office.

The Hon. Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries , Hon. Semisi Tauelangi Fakahau convey his sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Mr. Yukio Numata, Ambassador Extra-ordinary & Pleni-potentiary of Japan to Tonga,   the Government and the people  of Japan for their continuous and generous provision of development assistance to Tonga.

The Endoscope system, worth of about 1.64 million Pa’anga to the Ministry of Health, not including the construction of the new Vaiola Hospital, which was very well equipped and is, of course, the best and most advanced hospital in the Pacific region;

These key equipment and instruments will definitely help improve the services provided by our ministries to the people of Tonga.  The Hon. Minister deeply honored to accept these much needed equipment and instruments donated by the Government of Japan to:

  1. the Health sector to support and improve the health of our people;
  2. the Land and Natural Resources sector to support the protection and conservation of the country’s natural environment and sustainable development and management of natural renewable resources; and
  3. the Agriculture and Food sectors to ensure food security good health of the population and creation of a driver for sustainable economic growth. 

The Hon. Minister concluded with his trust that these line ministries, civil society and the private sector will fully  utilize these equipment  and looking forward to maintain the good and close working relationship between the Government ministries represented with the Government of Japan.

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Fanongonongo 1

Ko e fanongonongo fakataha ki he kakai fefine VAHE HIHIFO, ‘e fai ki KANOKUPOLU ‘a pongipongi ‘aho 6 Siulai 2017, he taimi 10:00 am.

Faka’apa’apa atu

Sea komiti kakai fefine

 

 

Fanongonongo 2

Ko e kole ki he vahefonua Vava’u, ko kimoutolu kotoa pe ‘oku nau kau ‘I he ngaahi fe’auhi ki lotomala’e ‘i he Polokalama faka’ali’ali ngoue ‘a e Potungaue Ngoue 2017 ki Vava’u ‘aho 7 Siulai.   ‘Oku kamata ‘a e lesisita ‘I he ho’ata ‘aho 6 Tu’apulelu ‘o tapuni ‘I he taimi 5:00am hengiheni Falaite. Ko e makatu’unga pe, kae lava ke fakafaingamalie’i ‘a e ngaue ‘a e kau fakamaau ki hono fakama’opo’opo.

 

Malo mo e faka’apa’apa lahi atu

Pule Potungaue Ngoue Vava’u

 

Amanda Extension

TASP Readvertise

 

Sione Foliaki(Deputy Director) Attend ACIAR’s Women & Men Engagement workshop in ACIAR Pacific Project, 5 – 7 June 2017, Sigatoka, Fiji. This workshop is part of the Pacific Agribusiness Research and Development Initiative 2 group of ACIAR Projects and the importance of pest and disease to agriculture and it’s short and long term impacts on food security for Tonga. The workshop objects are to:

 

johnn

Hon Minister Semisi Fakahau joint the  “India – Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference”’ in Suva, Fiji on the 25th & 26th May 2017.  The conference marks yet another crucial step in India’s pioneering initiative in engaging with the Pacific Island Countries. The objective of the meeting is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience and initiate partnerships and collaborations for the benefit of all participating countries.  Issues discussed include blue economy, international solar alliance initiatives and climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster preparedness.

 

The conference was attended by representatives from Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and many observers from the regional associations and universities, and private sector organisations.

 

Joining Hon Semisi Fakahau,  Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (Head of Delegation) Dr. Tevita Tukunga from MEIDECC and Ms Ilaisaane Lolo from MOFP

 

Hon Minister will continue his trip to Norway and New York for other official meeting and expected to be home by 12th of June.

 

 

james

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Sub Regional Coordinator, Her Excellency, Ms Eriko Hibi visited the Kingdom on the 8th May 2017 for three main reasons:

 

 

The FAO office in the Pacific is located in Apia Samoa. The Head of this office is known as the FAO Sub Regional Coordinator or simply as SRC. In September 2016, Her Excellency, Ms Eriko Hibi became the new SRC (Sub Regional Coordinator) for the Pacific after serving as the FAO Representative for Syria for many years. The SRC has the Official Capacity to be FAO’s Official Representative of FAO to its 14 member countries in the Pacific including Tonga. Her Excellency Ms Eriko Hibi presented her credentials to the Hon Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon. Samuela Akilisi Pohiva on Wednesday 11th May 2017 at the Prime Minister’s Office and accompanied by the Assistance FAO Representative to Tonga Mr. Pau Molevuka Likiliki.

 

Her Excellency, Ms Eriko Hibi was able to launch two project sites for FAO’s four year assistance to Tonga. The two pilot sites were HavelulikuTongatapu and Ta’anga inEua. Her Excellencywas able to visit the FAO project’s demonstration site in Tupou College and Hango Agriculture College. Her Excellency also flew to Eua to launch the project site in Taanga and also visited the Eua Watershed, the Aotearoa Tonga Forestry nursery. The Integrated Land and Agro-ecosystem Management system (ILAMS) is funded by the Global Environment Facility(GEF) and FAO has one pilot site in Tongatapu (Haveluliku), Vava’u (Mangia), Haapai (Pukotala) and Eua (Taanga).

Her Excellency visited other Technical assistance sites that FAO is assisting the government of Tonga including an aquaculture site farming milkfish (Ava) in Sopu and visited the Ministry of Fisheries Aquaculture Centre. Her Excellency visited the Livestock Office and discussed future plans with the Livestock Council about assistance to be implemented in the coming months for Cattle and Sheep Production. Her Excellency was able to visit the Women’s groups and their Sinaitakala flower nurseries. The Sinaitakala is a flower that FAO had safely introduced to Tonga to be used by Women for their livelihood in the communities. Also in the many site visits included nurseries of the Forestry Division in Tokomololo to see the coconut re-seeding and other ornamental plants.

Her Excellency was also very happy to meet the Minister and CEO for Health, Hon. Saia Piukala and the Minister and CEO for Education and Training, Hon. Penisimani Fifita to build new partnership in the areas of Nutrition and Food in the fight against NCDs.  Her Excellency also found time to meet with Tonga Health and how FAO can provide value in to their activities. Her Excellency had the opportunity to discuss FAO work with other NGOs and other Women’s Group in their work in Handicrafts and small home vegetable gardens. Her Excellency also discussed the Tonga Agriculture Sector Plan with the deputy chair of the Tonga Agriculture Growth Committee, Afeaki. Her Excellency was thankful to see the growth of the Fantastic Sheep introduced by FAO in the early 2000s. There was a remarkable growth sustained in Tupou College and Hango Agriculture College in their livestock.

Her Excellency is very thankful that she had discussed at length further opportunities for Tonga with the Minister of Agriculture Food Forestry and Fisheries Hon. Semisi Fakahau.

Her Excellency Ms Eriko Hibi left Tonga on Saturday night 13th May 2017.

 

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF), Tonga, with the Pacific Community (SPC) have agreed to a Financing Agreement in 2015 to facilitate funding of activities towards development and awareness for the Tonga agriculture sector plan, research and extension support services, smallholder market linkages and commodity value chains. Under the research and extension component, three broad priority areas were identified:

 

 

 

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This Regional Workshop on Harmonization of Pesticide Registration in the Pacific Islands through a Pacific Pesticide Registration Scheme is to finalized the “Regional PESTICIDE ADVISORY Scheme” between SPC and Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and the rest of the Pacific countries.  Management of Pesticides is a key concern to the people of Tonga in ensuring the proper use by farmers, that is selecting the right pesticide, applying at the right time, applying with the right rate, with safety at all levels of purchasing, storing, transporting.

 

 IN addition, the screening the pesticides to be imported into Tonga is a key steps with reference to the Rotterdam Convention list of pesticides of which Tonga has agreed to be on the Prior Inform Procedure.  Lastly, the initial assessment of efficacy will transferred to this Regional Body at SPC. 

 

The farmers and general public will benefit from additional layer of screening pesticides to be imported into Tonga.  IN the end, additional safety measures are added which will benefit the farmers, consumers and general public of Tonga.

 

pila manu

  Makatu’unga ‘i he faka’amu ‘a e Potungaue ke kei tokoni’i e kakai e fonua ‘i he tokoni ‘a e Kautaha Tonga Mo’ui Lelei (Tonga Health) ne lava ai ke tufaki atu ‘e he va’a ngaue ki he fanga monumanu ha fanga ki’i moa moe pato ki Tongatapu ni ‘o kau ai ‘a Vava’u, Ha’apai mo ‘Eua. 

Fonua.

Lahi oe fanga moa.

Lahi oe fanga pato.

‘Aho na’e tufa ai ‘o e fanga moa moe fanga pato.

Tongatapu

1000

289

17/03/2017

Vava’u

600

90

28/2/2017

Ha’apai

500

50

3/3/2017

‘Eua

 

50

18/3/2017

 ‘Oku kei hokohoko atu pe ‘a e tokoni ko’eni ‘i he ta’u ‘e 5 ka hoko mai tu’unga ‘i he tokoni ‘a e ngaahi polokalama ‘a e Kautaha Tonga Mo’ui Lelei. Na’e lava foki ‘o fakahoko ‘a e ngaahi ako ki hono tokangaekina ‘o e moa moe pato ki he ngaahi tukui motu pea toki ‘oatu ‘a e tokoni ko ‘eni.  ‘Oku ‘i ai pe ‘a e ‘amanaki ‘e tokoni ‘eni ki he ngaahi famili ki he ngaahi houa ma’u me’atokoni pehe foki ki he ngaahi fatongia kotoa pe ‘o e kakai e fonua ke kei ma’u pe he me’atokoni oku hao, ma’a mo mo’ui lelei.

 
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Nuku’alofa, March 14, 2017–Following the signing of the contract between The Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA), Government of Tonga, Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovation Tonga Trust (MORDI TT) and Nishi formalizing a partnership arrangement between the parties for the implementation of the “Improvement of Livelihood and Health Conditions of Tongan People by the Effective Utilization and Processing Products of Breadfruit”. The Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA), return this month on the 11th of March to begin the journey of implementing their Breadfruit Project. Official Launch was take place on Tuesday 14th of March, 2017, at NISHI Farm in Vaini. The Launch will be co-hosted by NISHI Trading and MORDI Tonga Trust, the Guest of Honor for the event is the Minister for MAFFF, Hon. Semisi Fakahau.

The project mainly targets the Island of Tongatapu with a focus on Small-holder farming Households, rural communities and related private sectors. The total project investment is ¥73,541,000 over a period of 5 years. The funding of the project is from JICA Partnership Program (JPP) , which was set-up in 2002 to support and cooperate with the implementation of projects formulated by Japanese Universities, Japanese NGOs, Japanese Local Governments to utilize their accumulated knowledge and experience in assisting activities for developing countries.

Tonga is the highest ranked country in terms of obesity along with many health-related problems caused by high dependence on imported food. The project aims to combat lifestyle diseases and poverty issues that arise from the increasing dependency on imported food. In order to decrease the dependency on imported food and to improve livelihood of local people, they need to re-evaluate traditional food resourcesse them more efficiently. Based on previous extensive survey by the Tokyo University of Agriculture, breadfruit was found to be neglected and wasted due to its abundance. It was from these surveys that breadfruit was chosen for its versatility and high processed value. 

The project will work with target communities to reevaluate the usefulness of breadfruit development with new cultivation techniques of breadfruit; expansion of new processing technology of breadfruit among communities; development of new value chain of breadfruit by increasing exports initiated by private sector; and development of “social business” by the collaborative activities of private sector and the community. The project also hopes to create an ‘awareness campaign’ on the importance of traditional food.

Tokotaha fakafofonga mei he Univesiti 'o Tokio 'i he lea lolotonga 'a e polokalamaDSCN0059

Eiki Minisita 'o e Potungaue Ngoue moe Toutai lolotonga 'o e Polokalamakau fakaafe 'o e aho

The APCC AgroMet and Water Project Joint Final Workshop honoured to have the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for  Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate and Communications (MEIDECC)  Hon.  Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni  to deliver the Keynote address for the Workshop  on Wednesday, March 8th, 2017 at Talanoa Conference Centre, Ground Floor of the Tanoa Dateline Hotel.

Final Workshop for the project:

Featuring the initiation and signing of the MOU for the Project:

The Signing of MOU for the New Agri-Water Project was followed:  APCC President, Dr. Hong Sang Jung, Deputy Prime Minister,  Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni and Dr. Viliami Toalei Manu, CEO MAFFF

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Improving Agricultural Productivity through ensuring data availability and enhancing agro-meteorological services;

ToCSA Training and Workshop was held at the Meteorological Service  (TMS) office at Fua’amotu on the 6th March, 2017.    The final workshop will be on 8th March at Talanoa Conference Centre,  Tanoa Dateline Hotel together with the signing of MOU for the new Agri-Water Project.

As a climate adaptation initiative, the Agro-Met Project is changing the way climate and agricultural knowledge are linked in Tonga.  By developing an agro-climate service, Tongan farmers and exporters will be better equipped for success despite increasing climate variability.

 This project increases the resilience of Tonga’s economy, provided important information to decision-makers, and enhances national food security.

The project is joint initiative between the APEC Climate Center (APCC), the Tonga Ministry of Agriculture, and Food, Forests and Fisheries (MAFFF), and the Tongan Meteorological Service (TMS).  It aims to develop services to support agricultural risk management for selected cropping systems in Tonga.

The project was built on four components:

Visit:  http://met.gov.to:2016 (ToCSA)

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Project Details

Project Name : Dragon fruit demonstration plot/trial.

Project Coordinator : Leody Vainikolo

Donor : Locally funded

Project Sector : MAFFF, Vava’u

Goals : To see the potential of Dragon fruit for commercial production through small trial and demonstration.

Description : ACIAR Project in Tonga included Dragon fruit as a new fruit plant introduced. One plant was obtained from  VRS planted in Vava’u. After 2 years it bore fruit and the following year, more fruits were produced. It needs proper documentation hence trial & demonstration plot was established. 

Dragon Fruit Trail Photo 1 Dragon Fruit Trial Photo 2