Tonga is hosting the Pacific Community’s (SPC) inaugural Regional Research Symposium on Agriculture and Forestry, bringing together experts from over 30 countries.
The two-day event which started yesterday at the Tanoa Dateline Hotel in Nukuʻalofa is themed “Transforming Agriculture and Forestry in the Pacific through Science, Technology, and Partnerships”.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Hon. Dr. Siosiua Halavātau opened the event with a presentation on soil resources in the Pacific. Dr. Halavātau stated. “In the Pacific, soil is more than a resource it’s a connection between people, culture, and the land.”
Organised by SPC’s Land Resources Division, the symposium featured more than 60 presentations addressing sustainable agriculture, climate change, food security, and research collaboration.
SPC’s Land Resources Division Director, Karen Mapusua, highlighted the significance of the gathering: “The response and engagement from the region in this symposium, the upcoming journal release and the development of the Regional Research Agenda have been inspiring.”
She added, “The symposium gives voice to the huge amount of Pacific-led research, including so many young researchers, and how we are working to solve our own challenges.”
Key outcomes from the symposium included the launch of the Journal of Agriculture and Forestry in the Pacific, the establishment of a regional research network under the Partners in Research initiative, and the publication of symposium proceedings.
These initiatives aim to strengthen evidence-based action and collaboration in sustainable land and resource management across the Pacific.
The symposium also contributed insights to guide the Hearing Pacific Voices agenda, part of the Regional Research Agenda endorsed by the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services (PHOAFS).
This agenda seeks to identify common development challenges and define research strategies to overcome them through inclusive Pacific processes.
The event precedes the upcoming Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry, scheduled for 25–30 May in Nukuʻalofa, further emphasising Tonga’s role in advancing regional agricultural and forestry development.
