Fifteen women in the village of Patangata participated in a cooking training session aimed at promoting healthier eating habits.
The event was organized by Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MAFF) in collaboration with Tomoko Atarashi, a JICA volunteer specializing in nutrition.
The session focused on creating dishes such as dry curry and eggplant tempura using locally grown vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, and onions.
Participants were taught important cooking techniques such as caramelizing onions for flavor and controlling the use of salt.

“Two important points when making dry curry: fry the onion thoroughly until brown, and always taste to avoid excessive salt,” Ms. Atarashi explained during the training.
The initiative forms part of JICA’s broader efforts to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Tonga by promoting balanced diets and reducing dependency on processed foods.
Participants expressed enthusiasm for the new skills, with one attendee saying, “I thought tempura would look difficult, but it looks easy to do. I want to make this myself!”
This session builds on MAFF’s vegetable seedling distribution activities, aiming to encourage healthier eating habits and address Tonga’s rising NCD rates, including obesity and diabetes.
Organizers hope the initiative will inspire sustainable changes in local diets.
Source: JICA