April 2025
Thursday 24
Nadi, Fiji (April 24th, 2025): Pacific Farmer Organisations (PFO) recently launched the first of its six-part online series titled “Helping Farmers Make Money,” highlighting the real-world impacts of farmer organizations across the Pacific Islands. Held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the session spotlighted how the EU-funded FO4ACP Project (2019-2025) has empowered farmers to increase income, strengthen resilience, and lead change within their communities.
Three speakers were featured in the session:
- Taaloga Apa, Senior Programme Manager, Women in Business Development Inc.
- Jenny Nishi, Operations and Project Manager, Nishi Trading.
- Kyle Stice, Executive Director, Pacific Farmer Organisations.
Speakers shared powerful examples of farmer-led transformation, including Nishi Trading’s solar-powered cool storage facilities supporting Tongan Farmers and Women in Business Development Inc.’s organic dried banana exports to New Zealand. The session also emphasized the importance of investing in processing and packaging for high-value Pacific products like Virgin Coconut Oil, Samoan Cocoa, and locally made soaps.
In a key presentation, Kyle Stice emphasized the critical role farmer organizations play in ensuring smallholder farmers are represented in global climate finance and policy discussions.
“If you’re not at the table when projects are being discussed and when finance is being allocated, there’s no way you’ll be able to access climate funds,” said Stice. “Not every smallholder farmer can be in those meetings, but they can be represented by their farmer organizations.”
He outlined how PFO, through FO4ACP, began participating in global climate discussions – including COP28, marking a turning point in Pacific farmer engagement with global adaptation funding mechanisms. This strategic presence led to the development of PFO’s Climate Resilient Farming Framework, launched in March 2023. The framework outlines the region’s climate priorities: investing in adaptation, strengthening farmer organizations, and securing representation in decision-making forums.
Since its launch, the framework has mobilized US$3.75 million directly for smallholder farmers. 70% of the funds have been regranted to farmer organizations through PIFON, with 90% of those funds going straight to on-the-ground farming activities.
The webinar reinforced the importance of having well-prepared, representative farmer organizations to engage in climate finance and policy dialogues. These organizations not only advocate for Pacific farmers at national and global levels but also play a crucial role in channeling resources to communities in culturally relevant and effective ways.
With the collective reach of over 100,000 farmers across its network, PFO has proven its ability to drive localized, sustainable agricultural development. The FO4ACP Project has laid a strong foundation for future efforts like FO4IMPACT, ensuring Pacific farmers continue to shape a more resilient and inclusive food system.