Juncao grass, also known as elephant grass, is set to be introduced in Tonga to boost livestock feed and support the piggery industry.
Professor Penghu Liu from China’s National Engineering Research Center of Juncao Technology told Tonga Broadcasting that they plan to cultivate the grass locally.
“When we feed elephant grass to pigs, they can grow fast, and farmers can get more income,” Liu explained. He noted that many Tongan families raise pigs but struggle with feed shortages, a problem Juncao can address.
Beyond its nutritional benefits, Juncao helps prevent soil erosion. “Juncao grows deep and spreads, so holds the soil fast,” Liu said. Surveys in Ha’apai revealed that cultivating Juncao could mitigate sandy soil issues there.
Local livestock farmer Sione Leleifi shared his positive experience: “Elephant grass has helped me with feed, and the cost to get pig feed is gone.”
Fengchen Sun from the Tonga-China Agritech Cooperation Program mentioned plans to invite Tongan government officials, farmers, and students to study Juncao technology in China, as well as conducting training sessions in Tonga.
The Juncao team has also surveyed Ha’apai and Vava’u to assess the grass’s potential benefits in those regions.
