Agroforestry brings the Pacific together in Fiji

 As part of the regional cooperation goal of the PROTEGE project that involved both overseas countries and territories (OCTs) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, this workshop marked PROTEGE’s close, bringing to an end five years of agroforestry trials in the Pacific.

Agroforestry, a response to the challenges of climate change

Agroforestry is a well-adapted response to the challenges of climate change as it allows sustainable and resilient agriculture suitable to the Pacific territories’ soil and climate conditions. In that way, agroforestry helps improve food security.

Such practices, which combine trees with agricultural and/or livestock crops on the same plot, are sometimes ancestral. They have often been forgotten or neglected and are being revived today, driven by the efforts of enthusiastic farmers, inspired researchers and convinced technical agents. These practices have been tested in trials integrating research, innovation and the exchange of expertise.

Agroforestry has to remain an asset for farmers. Production methods need to be sustainable, environmentally responsible and profitable.

"That is what we have to focus on because we cannot offer a solution to professionals that does not allow them to earn a living. Work needs to be done on that,” explained Marc Fabresse, Secretary General of French Polynesia’s Chamber of Agriculture and Lagoon Fisheries.

The European Union-Funded PROTEGE project implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC) believed in the importance of reintegrating trees into farming practices. That is why it supported development of a network of involved stakeholders in the Pacific OCTs, and even beyond, particularly through the support provided to the association AGIR NC.

"For the European Union, supporting agroforestry has become a central element of our strategy for the development of greener and more resilient agriculture, commonly known as the Green Deal," explained Georges Dehoux, Deputy Head of the European Union Office. “This strategy aims to develop and replicate agricultural models that are more productive, environmentally friendly and sustainable.”

The outcomes of this work were presented during the regional workshop.

Un événement basé sur l’échange d’expériences

There was a range of objectives for this experience-sharing event:

• Take stock of the knowledge acquired and the trials carried out during PROTEGE.
• Pass on this knowledge to allow continuity with post-PROTEGE projects and initiatives, by developing the territories’ capacities in agroforestry.
• Bring together farmers and technical agents from different backgrounds, who often have very varied motivations, backgrounds and goals.

The workshop included visits to agroforestry sites on the island of Nandi, talks by specialists during plenary sessions, and small group working sessions.

Trials that have proven their worth

The plenary session talks were attended both on site in Nadi or by videoconference at Pacific Community (SPC) Headquarters in Noumea. Videoconferencing also allowed discussions between the different audiences. The talks highlighted certain agroforestry trials in the Pacific islands but also on Reunion Island and in Australia, as well as the outcomes of studies on several territories.

For example: the work carried out by Julien Lebreton in Bouraké, New Caledonia to successfully grow vegetables and restore biodiversity on barren and normally sterile ground in desert-like conditions. Or Scott Hall in Australia, who produces large quantities of vegetables thanks to support trees or Floris Niù in Samoa, who has reactivated a community on her island around cocoa, vegetable and fruit tree farming in the middle of the forest.

Link between ancestral knowledge and innovative practices

During site visits, participants were able to discover a project related to breadfruit tree growing in association with banana plants and other support trees. Likewise, they had an opportunity to honor the remarkable work of a community of women who sell a variety of processed farm products in a shop and restaurant. These visits allowed participants to see for themselves the link between ancestral knowledge and innovative practices.

Creative working sessions

The working sessions, called "idea incubators", allowed participants to focus on and think about issues arising from PROTEGE’s work tied to the collection of technical and economic data, support for new projects, knowledge sharing, and the ecosystem services provided by agroforestry.

The goal of these "idea incubator" sessions was to work together to produce a roadmap identifying potential pathways so as to design the follow-up to the agroforestry projects initiated by PROTEGE.

Small group participants were asked to discuss suitable actions to be implemented for the future development of agroforestry in the Pacific. Four themes were discussed:

• Technical agroforestry practices and knowledge
• Technical and economic references
• Setting up and supporting agroforestry projects
• Ecosystem services in agroforestry systems

These "idea incubators" made it possible to produce more than 20 action sheets based on the following key areas:

• Sharing between the various agroforestry ecosystem stakeholders in the Pacific via an observatory, a network, producing factsheets and developing digital tools.
• Research (academic – laboratory – field) on the ecosystem contributions and services of trees adapted to the territories, with the production of technical and economic data and technical guidelines.
• Training at all levels, with the production of suitable teaching materials.
• A regulatory framework allowing farmers to be paid for ecosystem services and support for organising and planning agroforestry projects.
• Visibility of agricultural products from agroforestry.
• Integration of traditional knowledge into the data shared.

A report including the complete results of this work will be published during the final quarter of 2024.