May 2025
Peter Kaoh, Pacifc Farmer Organisations Board Member and Australia High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga HE Brek Batley signed a partnership agreement for the Climate Resilient Farming in the Pacific Islands Project.
Monday 26
Nukualofa, Tonga (May 26th, 2025): Australia has committed an additional AUD3 million for climate and disaster resilience for Pacific Farmer Organisations and their farmer members.
The Climate Resilient Farming in Pacific Islands program has launched its second phase at the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Nuku’alofa [this week].
The program is coordinated by Pacific Farmer Organisations, who represent a network of thirty farmer organisations across fourteen Pacific Island Countries and more than 100,000 smallholder farmers.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Brek Batley said that program exemplified Australia’s strong belief in Pacific-led solutions to the region’s challenges. “Locally tailored climate solutions are essential for a prosperous, resilient and inclusive agriculture sector across the Pacific”.
“Through this program, Australia is investing in the strength of farmers to address a critical challenge to their livelihoods and wellbeing”.
In its first year, the program benefited 16,800 farmers in seven countries (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu).
In 2024, Australia provided initial support of AUD1 million to Pacific Farmer Organisations for climate
adaptation planning and on-farm solutions that were prioritised by farmer organisations in response to their existing climate challenges and local context.
Pacific Farmer Organisations Executive Director, Kyle Stice said that this is an important step in bringing more climate adaptation support right down to the grassroots.
“This commitment from Australia acknowledges the need for local solutions by local people to address the huge challenges faced by climate change”.
Agriculture is the primary livelihood for more than 70 per cent of Pacific Islanders and is highly susceptible to current and predicted climate extremes and natural disasters.
“While it is true that Pacific farmers are victims of climate change, they also hold many of the solutions – and these are rooted in traditional knowledge and local innovation”.
The Climate Resilient Farming in the Pacific Islands program is a partnership between Pacific Farmer Organisations, the Australian Government and the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.