Pacific Ministers Meeting a Success, Tonga to Host Next in 2025
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Hon. Kalaveti Ravu, says the Pacific Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry’s meeting was a success as delegates were able to discuss and explore how Pacific nations could leverage the agriculture and forestry sectors as part of our national and regional efforts to reshape food systems that better support healthy diets and environmental sustainability in the Pacific.
The meeting, held last Friday (March 10, 2023) at the Sofitel Resort and Spa, Denarau, Nadi, was hosted in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic by the Government of Fiji, with assistance from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Pacific Community (SPC). Hon. Ravu who co-chaired the meeting with Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Hon. Vatimi Rayalu, thanked FAO and SPC for their reassurances of their commitment to continue supporting the Pacific Island Countries in their efforts to address the challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and environmental degradation, and build a better future for all.
He told the delegates that collaboration was needed to make sure the right incentives were in place, and financing was mobilised to make that happen.
“We must therefore continue to build on, partner with, and complement the most relevant global initiatives, networks, and coalitions. At this juncture, I would like to thank all our development partners, academic and research institutions, particularly FAO and SPC. The FAO and SPC have continuously worked with Pacific Island Countries to achieve food security and support necessary transformations in the agriculture and forestry sectors.” According to a FAO report on the outcomes of the meeting, the delegates recognised the devastating impact of climate change on Pacific food systems, and the need for better climate information to support food system planning and decisionmaking. They also stressed the need for collaborative and coordinated data collection and sharing among countries to enable the development of sustainable and resilient food systems in the Pacific.
Tonga to host next meeting
Tonga will host the fourth meeting of the Pacific Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry in 2025, in association with the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF). This was agreed to by the Pacific Ministers.
Tonga’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forests, Lord Fohe, expressed his Kingdom’s interest in hosting the meeting after sharing the experience of the HungaTonga-HungaHa’apai marine volcano eruption in January 2022.
Lord Fohe stated that the HungaTonga-HungaHa’apai disaster had a significant impact on its people and agricultural livelihoods, with initial estimates of US$20 million (FJ$44.5m) in agricultural damage and 12,000 agricultural households, or 85% of the total population, affected.
He said the importance of the agricultural sector to the economy and the livelihoods of the Tongan people was clear, as it contributed nearly 14 percent of Tonga’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2015/16 and represented over 65 percent of exports.
“The opportunity for Tonga to host the next meetings of the Heads and Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry will be an opportunity for Tonga to share all the lessons learned, the recovery, rehabilitation, rebuilding and resilience,” Lord Fohe told the leaders.
The Ministers’ meeting concluded the PWAF, a five-day event that brought together governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations, and the private sector to help chart a future for agriculture and forestry in the region.
This followed the 8th Regional Meeting of the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services on Thursday. These meetings were convened during the PWAF on March 6–10, 2023, under the theme Growing Together: Transforming Pacific Agriculture and Forestry.