The Breadfruit Festival 2024 started this week in Tonga, highlighting the climate-resilient breadfruit as a solution to regional challenges. Kyle Stice, Executive Director of the Pacific Island Farmers Organization, emphasized its ability to withstand natural disasters, calling it the Pacific’s most resilient crop.
Held at the MORDI Centre in Haveluloto, Tongatapu, the festival gathered over 100 farmers from 15 Pacific and Caribbean nations. Dr. Seu’ula Fu, Chairperson of MORDI Tonga Trust, noted the event’s significance in fostering traditional practices, enhancing farming, and boosting regional resilience.
Farmers explored the potential of breadfruit as a local alternative to costly imported grains like rice and wheat. The festival focused on educating participants about breadfruit’s versatile uses, promoting it as a staple for food security and sustainable agriculture. This celebration of breadfruit further emphasizes Pacific and Caribbean unity in facing climate challenges.
The festival promises to leave a lasting impact on farming practices across the region, showing breadfruit as both a cultural and agricultural solution for the future.
