Tonga Agriculture Sector Plan 2016-2020

The Tonga Agriculture Sector Plan (TASP) aims to determine the country's vision and priorities for optimizing the role of agriculture in food security as well as economic growth. It is expected that the TASP will: 

• Articulate specific programmes and activities which are required to achieve sector priorities
• Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different sector stakeholders
• Estimate investment needs
• Provide a framework for measuring progress over the short- and medium-terms

It is further anticipated that the Plan will enable a balance between export-oriented activities, import substitution, and subsistence agriculture; and to incorporate a strong focus on sustainability and building resilience against climate change and natural disasters. The TASP was formulated to achieve four strategic objectives, namely, to develop a climate-resilient environment, to improve the enabling environment, to develop diverse, climate-resilient farming systems, and to increase and sustain rural incomes across the Kingdom. Specifically relevant to climate change, the TASP includes strategies to support climate-resilient agricultural production systems that are driven by healthy soils, secure and sustainable water supplies, diverse farming systems, and adaptive rural communities.