Farmers in rural Upolu say unpredictable weather conditions and rising farming costs are making it increasingly difficult to maintain crop production.
Many families continue to rely heavily on plantations and small-scale agriculture to support household incomes and daily living expenses.
Growers from different parts of Upolu say changing rainfall patterns, prolonged dry periods and increasing costs for fuel, transportation and farming supplies are affecting both the quality and quantity of crops harvested throughout the year.
Eti Tuitele, a farmer from Aleipata, said weather changes have made farming less predictable for many rural families.
“There are times the rain falls too heavily and damages crops, and then there are weeks where the weather becomes too dry for plants to grow properly,” he said.
