Pacific Farmer Organisations to Host Regional Breadfruit Biocultural Conservation Workshop in Taveuni

The Pacific Island Farmers Organisation Network (PFO) will next week convene a regional Breadfruit Biocultural Conservation Knowledge Exchange Workshop at the Tutu Rural Training Centre from 27–29 April 2026.

This three-day, in-person workshop is supported through the FORI Pacific Breadfruit Project and co-organised with the National Tropical Botanic Garden – Breadfruit Institute. The event will bring together farmer leaders, researchers, practitioners, and institutional partners from across the Pacific to strengthen collaboration and share practical approaches to farmer-led biocultural conservation.

The workshop will place strong emphasis on the role of farmers as custodians of breadfruit diversity, highlighting the importance of living collections, Indigenous knowledge systems, and intergenerational knowledge transfer in conservation practice. It also responds to growing regional and global interest in ethical, community-led ethnobotany and culturally grounded research approaches.

A central feature of the workshop will be a protocol co-development process, where participants will collaboratively design approaches to documentation, consent, and data stewardship. This will contribute to the development of a shared regional system that reflects Pacific values, including equity, respect, and data sovereignty.

Strengthening Farmer-Led Conservation Approaches

The workshop aims to strengthen practical capacity and regional collaboration by focusing on:

• Management of conservation collections within living landscapes
• Morphological characterization of breadfruit varieties
• Ethical documentation of traditional knowledge using Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles
• Development of shared documentation systems and databases
• Governance frameworks for equitable access and collaboration

Through a participatory and hands-on methodology, participants will engage in field-based learning, small group discussions, and facilitated dialogue sessions. Activities will include practical documentation exercises, traditional knowledge interviews, and collaborative data entry using shared tools.

The workshop will also explore the foundations for a Pacific farmer-led breadfruit collections network, supporting stronger regional coordination and knowledge exchange.

Regional Participation and Collaboration

The workshop is expected to host 15–20 participants representing farmers, researchers, and regional partners. It reflects PFO’s ongoing commitment to advancing farmer-led solutions, strengthening Indigenous knowledge systems, and promoting inclusive, ethical approaches to agricultural development across the Pacific.

PFO acknowledges the collaboration and support of its partners in delivering this important regional initiative and looks forward to welcoming participants to Taveuni for this timely exchange.