September 2025
Maui, Hawaii – September 8th, 2025 – Pacific Farmer Organisations (PFO), in partnership with the European Union-funded Farmer-led Research and Innovation (FORI) project, recently concluded a high-impact regional learning exchange in Maui, Hawai’i. This week-long engagement brought together 18 grassroots farmer leaders and researchers from the Cook Islands, Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands, and Tonga to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern breadfruit research.
Bridging the Region: From Propagation to Policy
The exchange provided a rare platform to link national research initiatives with Hawai’i’s world-class institutions, including the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) and the Hawai’i ‘Ulu Cooperative.
Key Strategic Outcomes:
- Biocultural Documentation: Participants engaged in intensive “Write Shops” to draft four thematic papers covering traditional knowledge, genetic diversity, multiplication techniques, and farming systems.
- Conservation Excellence: The delegation visited the Breadfruit Institute’s collection at Kahanu Garden—the world’s largest living breadfruit repository—to learn advanced pruning, tagging, and re-propagation techniques.
- Commercial Innovation: Site visits to Hana Ranch and Noho’ana Farm showcased large-scale agroforestry (silvopasture) and regenerative value-added processing, such as the production of breadfruit flour and “Ulu Krunch” granola.
- Culinary Value-Addition: Hands-on sessions with the Maui Breadfruit Company demonstrated the versatility of breadfruit in modern diets, featuring recipes for pono pies, tamales, and hummus.
The Power of Farmer-Led Research
A featured Researcher-Practitioner Forum highlighted the unique efficiency of the farmer-led model. Panellists emphasized that farmers are “first responders” to climate challenges, identifying solutions far faster than lengthy institutional processes. By stripping away over-scientific “fluff,” farmer-led research delivers immediate, workable solutions that foster community ownership and rapid adoption.
“Farmer-led research thrives because farmers innovate rapidly with practical solutions… focusing on immediate, workable results.”
A Vision for the Future
The exchange concluded with a unified vision for 2035: Breadfruit as a primary national priority crop across the Pacific. All participants returned to their respective countries inspired to finalize their research publications and scale the promotion of this resilient superfood