Vanuatu govt partners with Tanna potato farmers

Thirty Vanuatu farmers have signed a partnership with the government to grow potatoes on Tanna Island.

The Department of Agriculture has commissioned them to concentrate on farming potatoes, distributing six tons of potato seeds for use there.

Vanuatu's Daily Post newspaper reports that Tanna is the main supplier of potatoes in the country.

Potatoes and English cabbage were among the crops introduced by French farmers during the colonial era to communities on the volcanic island, which has rich highly fertile soils.

Potatoes have since been introduced to other islands including Epi, Efate, Malekula and Santo with the government's aim to increase the farming of different crops to achieve food security.