As climate change brings more extreme weather and threatens food security across the Pacific, a research project is working with Samoan farmers to develop more sustainable farming practices.
The Sustainable Agricultural Intensification (SAI) Systems for Climate Resilient Development in Pacific Island Countries project is testing new approaches to help farmers improve soil health, manage weeds, and increase the resilience of taro production.
The project is led by the University of Melbourne in partnership with the University of the South Pacific, Lincoln University, and MORDI Tonga Trust. It is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and supported in Samoa by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa, and the Samoa Farmers Association.
Researchers are focusing on three main farming practices.
One method uses alley cropping, where nitrogen-fixing trees such as Sesbania, Gliricidia, and Erythrina are planted alongside taro crops to provide natural mulch and improve soil fertility.
