“ NOT SO FAST SPENCER W...You're encouraging the return to the "good old days" of subsistence farming and fishing in Ancient Tonga. Those days are gone, and the so-called modern farmers have not even used an irrigation system.
Empirical data from recent past do not support your premise that agriculture and fishing are the "backbone of the Tongan economy," and give out "free money" to farmers. WHY? Where's the free money coming from while Government funds cannot cover the Government Budget?
Please access Government of Tonga Budget Statement 2019/2020: Agriculture-fishing (Agri-expo) sector contributed less than 15% of GDP (gross domestic product). Compared to "Remittances" from overseas families, sports athletes, and fruit pickers, which contributed 39% of GDP. Even Tourism was way down at less than 3% of GDP despite its expensive promotions.
You should be worried why Tonga is only able to carry 51% of its current fiscal year budget, and 49% is borrowed from foreign aids? Isn't the Government of Tonga living on borrowed time? ”