Closing Workshop of Agroecology Demonstration Farms in French Polynesia

The objective of this closing workshop was to assess the past 4 years of work by presenting the main results achieved and their lessons to support agroecological transition and the development of organic agriculture in Fenua.

This event, part of the PROTÈGE program funded by the European Union and implemented by the Pacific Community, brought together more than 45 people, all from the agricultural sector, as well as institutional partners providing technical support (DAG, CAPL, SPG Bio Fetia, Agricultural High School, farmers, IUCN, FAPE).

It's worth noting that numerous projects have been implemented in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, including a network of seven (7) agroecology demonstration farms in Fenua, an integral part of a regional network that also includes seven (7) farms in Wallis & Futuna and thirteen (13) in New Caledonia. To ensure representativity of the diversity of agricultural contexts in the territory, two (2) farms are located in Tahiti, one (1) in Raiatea, two (2) in the Marquesas, and two (2) in the Tuamotu.

The objective of this network is to demonstrate and document the conditions of agroecological transition in different agricultural conditions and sectors of Fenua. To identify the strengths and weaknesses of each farm on their agroecological trajectory, a diagnosis was carried out in 2020 using the TAPE method developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Based on this, the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with each farmer, conducted a transition program including experiments, innovative investments, training, and technical support. European funds also facilitated several local and regional exchanges during gatherings of this network's members.

These sharing moments demonstrated the importance of peer-to-peer exchanges for knowledge transmission and the exchange of best practices. Technical results were presented jointly by the Department of Agriculture and each farmer. The presence of Mr. Dario LUCANTONI from the FAO provided a global perspective on the locally obtained results in the challenges of agroecological transition. On this occasion, he praised the significant commitment of French Polynesia to this trajectory, especially through the ongoing General Agricultural Census.

This census is a global first by incorporating a set of questions characterizing the level of agroecological transition of each farm in a given territory.

Reflection workshops were also conducted to draw lessons from the past 4 years of the network and develop recommendations for the continuation of the post-PROTÈGE dynamic. The contribution of farmer networks as accelerators of transition to strengthen the resilience of Polynesian agriculture to climate change was a particular focus.

The importance of local, regional, and international cooperation, such as that implemented through PROTÈGE, was also discussed to identify partnerships to consolidate.

Minister Taivini TEAI finally closed the workshop by presenting the government's priorities and upcoming projects in support of agroecology, as the PROTÈGE project comes to an end.

Farmers from Fenua