University of Melbourne-led research finds traditional knowledge and sustainable intensification aid Samoa and Tonga farmers

August 14, 2026 at 05:30 PM1 min

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Farmers in Samoa and Tonga are pairing traditional practices with Sustainable Agriculture Intensification to address drought, soil decline and rising herbicide costs, according to a University of Melbourne-led project. The three-year project, involving the University of the South Pacific Samoa Campus, MORDI-Tonga Trust and Lincoln University, has supported on-farm and controlled trials comparing mulching, sheep grazing and hand weeding in taro cropping. The work proceeds even as prolonged droughts and irregular rainfall pressure Pacific agriculture.

Climate and Cost Pressures

Farmers in Samoa and Tonga face simultaneous pressures from prolonged droughts, irregular rainfall, and rising costs of agricultural inputs, particularly herbicides. The University of Melbourne-led project, involving the University of the South Pacific Samoa Campus, MORDI-Tonga Trust and Lincoln University, has run for three years. It combines traditional knowledge with Sustainable Agriculture Intensification principles focused on raising productivity, resource-use efficiency and reducing negative environmental impacts.

On-Farm Experimentation

Each country hosts farmer-managed trial sites and controlled research sites. Farmers test practices under real-world conditions while research sites collect detailed biophysical data using the same treatments. The design is intended to compare practical application and scientific performance to support scaling up successful practices across the Pacific.

Samoan Taro Trials

Taro is central to Samoan diets, cultural identity and exports, consumed fresh and in processed products such as flour, chips, noodles and baby food. Current chemical weed control is costly and damages soil health and surrounding ecosystems. Farmers are trialing mulching and sheep grazing against traditional hand weeding in taro cropping.