Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry 2025

Hosted by the Government of Tonga with support from FAO and the Pacific Community (SPC), the fourth Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF) will take place from 26–30 May 2025 in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. This biannual event will bring together Pacific Island nations to address critical challenges and explore opportunities to transform agriculture and forestry across the region.

Centered around the key themes of regeneration, productivity, and resilience, the PWAF will feature high-level meetings, including the Pacific Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry Meeting and the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Meeting led by the Government of Tonga with assistance from FAO and SPC.

The week will also include a series of side events focused on:

• More regeneration: addressing issues related to soils, genetic biodiversity of crops, forests, livestock, ecology, organics, and the environment.
• More productivity: focusing on rural farmers, women and youth, livelihoods, food security, and the production of crops, livestock, and forests.
• More resilience: biosecurity and pest management, enhancing pre-disaster preparedness, improving the capacity to withstand and recover from disasters, and adapting to rising sea levels and temperatures through research and adoption.

FAO and its partners will co-host several side events at PWAF including:

 

Accelerating rural women economic empowerment in four Pacific countries through agriculture

Date: 26 May 2025 | 10:30 – 12:30

Co-hosts: IFAD, WFP, UN Women and FAO

Led by four UN agencies, this side event will showcase progress and key learnings from Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati and Solomon Islands after two years of implementing a five-year initiative focused on the economic empowerment of rural women. The session will share experiences and insights on advancing gender equality and strengthening the livelihoods of rural Pacific women.

 

SDG farm-based indicators and their role in transforming Pacific agriculture

Date: 26 May 2025 | 13:30 – 14:00

Co-hosts: FAO and the Tonga National University

This side event will present the results of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) farm-based indicators compiled for the first time from seven Pacific Island countries, offering insights into small-scale producers' productivity, income, sustainability, and gender equity. The session highlights how these indicators can inform policy, and guide programmes and resource allocation for more equitable, sustainable agriculture. It will foster dialogue among stakeholders to connect data with action and drive transformation in Pacific agricultural and forestry systems.

 

Restoring forests and landscapes for a resilient Pacific

Date: 27 May 2025 | 08:30 – 12:30

Co-hosts: FAO, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests of Tonga, Ministry of Forestry of Fiji, and the Pacific Community (SPC)

In support of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, this event will highlight the role of forest and landscape restoration (FLR) and nature-based solutions such as afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and the REDD+ programme in restoring ecosystems and building resilience. It will promote knowledge sharing on current programmes, emerging challenges, and regional opportunities for FLR and invasive species management, with a focus on sustainable, community-driven approaches to protect Pacific forests and livelihoods.

 

Regional collaboration for soil health and sustainability: advancing strategies and action through the Pacific Soil Partnership

Date: 27 May 2025 | 08:30 – 12:30

Co-hosts: FAO, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (MWLR), and Pacific Community (SPC)

This side event aims to strengthen regional collaboration and knowledge sharing for soil health across the Pacific by promoting evidence-based action plans and advancing the work of the Pacific Soils Partnership (PSP) through multi-stakeholder engagement, including the finalization of the PSP Terms of Reference and Governance Structure.