Pacific

Tongan Community Development Trust promotes sustainable agriculture

07:52 am on 8 November 2004

The Tongan Community Development Trust says its programme of pesticide awareness and sustainable agriculture is proving a big success.

The head of the Trust, Lopeti Senituli, says it has been trying to wean local farmers off the misuse of pesticide by running village workshops.

Mr Senituli says they are encouraging people to get into more traditional methods of farming such as multi-cropping, and using organic fertiliser.

He says a lot of people are now carrying out organic farming.

"This year to coincide with the Royal Agricultural show in Tonga, we ran various competitions for organic farms, vegetable competitions for primary and secondary schools and women's groups, and we had a very positive response from the community, not only in Tongatapu, but also the outer islands."