Second National Roundtable Consultation on Developing Local Food Crops and Fisheries Value Chains Featured
Participating members at the House of Tonga at Mailetaha
5 September, 2019. The Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MAFF), Hon. Losaline Ma’asi opened the second National Roundtable consultation on Developing Local Food Crops and Fisheries Value Chains – A National Action Plan Tuesday morning 3 September morning, at the House of Tonga, Mailetaha.
The meeting aims to evaluate short-term progress made of the National Action Plan for local food crops and fisheries value chain development and agree on mid- and long-term actions for continuing the mainstreaming of priority interventions into national policy and programme processes as well as attracting and accessing funding.
Hon. Ma’asi emphasized the government’s support and the commitment of MAFF to the implementation of the Project – ‘Leveraging the Development of Local Food Crops and Fisheries Value Chains for Improved Nutrition and Sustainable Food Systems in the Pacific’ that is led by the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organization (PIPSO) in eight countries of the Pacific including Tonga.
“I am grateful for the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the success they have made together with PIPSO to develop the Regional and the National Action Plan according to specific country’s needs.
With the overall goal, to strengthen the capacity of the Pacific island governments, farmer and private sector organizations, and sub-regional institutions to develop strategies and programmes, as well as mobilize finance, that can increase poor rural people’s access to nutritious and healthy food.”
“We want everyone in Tonga to have access to nutritious and healthy food. Grow local supply of fruits and vegetables; raise and supply of local meats to super-markets and local store; we want regulations/policies to be in place to control the local practices and imports of unhealthy food and even facilities to have the tests/evidence to reduce the unhealthy choices.
Our reaching out programmes to communities, the vulnerable groups, women, youths, farmers and fishers.
The need for finance as well as insurance when disasters occurred. I am glad for the consultation today to confirm our National Action Plan for the next 4 years.”
Tonga’s National Action Plan was formulated by a cross-section of national stakeholders who attended the Fiji Forum and has been reviewed and re-evaluated during the first National Stakeholder Consultation in December 2018.
It addresses the four key themes to tackle country-specific challenges in agribusiness and value chain development:
- Nutrition – Reduction in NCDs and increased income from investments in local food crops and fisheries value chain development
- Finance – Making farmers bank ready and banks farmer ready
- ICT – Robust Communication System for Growers
- Insurance – Robust Insurance Package for Farmers
Hon. Ma’asi said this National Action Plan prompts the similar work that has been developed around the National NCD Committee lead by the Ministry of Health, followed by the establishments of the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation.
“As Food is a major contributor to the health crisis, we hope to see the development of this work today to cover all the sector for food in Tonga.
The project is for 4 years and I want to see something beyond that, by having CTA and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on board, we can work together and maybe this could lead to a National Food and Nutrition Promotion Foundation.”
Reps from relevant line ministries, Non-governmental organizations, private sector and development partners are attending the consultation.
- RNZI
6 comments
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Sione I heard you. This is what I learned.
President Regan said once, if I ask one single economic question to a room of 300 economists, I will get 300 different answers. How the hell can that be? You’re just one of the economists. I don’t claim to be one, but I am not ignorant as the half-baked faikava buddy as you claimed. BTW, I do not drink kava Tonga. I drink the Fijian kava. You may not aware, it has great natural aphrodisiac effects. Try it sometime. You will be surprised. Of course, it won’t work if the engine does not run in the first place. Forget Vaiola, they’re not equip to overhaul the motor. They did not help the PM, did they?
I am not denying the remittance forces and its’ effect, but I still define welfare as assistance you receive for doing absolutely nothing. Some economists excluded remittance because they do not represent goods and services produce in the economy. As you pointed out GDP is the “country’s economic output” so where the remittance fit in as an input? If you talk about balance of payment [BOP]then I might give you leeway because current account is use in the national output calculation. Fortunately, I found the BOP [2006 – 2017] and Tonga included in that data the capital account with some components of the current account (goods & service). However, absolutely missing from it is the current transfer (remittance). It appears Tonga is listening to me. For once, I should give Tonga credit rather than bashing them.
My belief was, agriculture is the backbone of the economy. You said its’ remittance. I am fine with that. You are entitled to your opinion. But I hope you stop reading Krugman books and stop having lunches with the Ofama economists. We all know very well how that economy turned out, but you will not know that if you do not have a 401k.
If you disagree with my thesis, there are only two things you can do. First, tell me my data are fake. You can’t do that because I got the data from the mouth of the horse, the GofT. Second, explain why my analysis is wrong. You did not do either. Instead you call out my ignorance. Fortunately, you aren’t the first nor the last. From my experiences, I learned, when I pointed out the facts and debating the issues, the Tongan ALWAYS defaulted to name calling or rambling about something that has nothing to do with the topic. You are no different.
“You cannot "move money around" in economics as you wish.” So, why I can’t move the $$ around in the economy as you claimed. Isn’t remittance money movement?
I will explain how to finance my proposal as you asked. I will make it simple. Currently the GofT allocate $12 TOP to run the radio station, A3Z. Here I am coming as the PM with my proposal; I will sell the radio station to my neighbor for $15.07. Talking about fkponepone. Koe nifi e kae nafa e. At the meantime, the GofT still collecting $12 tukuhau. Now, what I am going to do with the $12? So, listen carefully, ask question if you do not understand. I will take the $12 plus the $15.07 and freely give it to the farmers to grow their crops. Of course, I will put six pa’anga in my pocket for personal use. For heaven sake, it’s the farmer’s money in the first place. All I am doing is giving back the farmers their $$. My nickname is Robin Hood.
Just happen to run into the cut and paste below from the October 2017 Tonga Household Income & Expenditure report. Another reason why I claimed, agriculture is the backbone of the Tonga economy. I am not going to interpret the data since I can’t do that for your satisfaction. Go at it.
“At a national level, the highest proportion of total income from salaries and wages – by industry – is derived from the Agriculture, forestry and fishing industry (17 percent of wages and salaries income), followed by Public administration (16 percent), Education (14 percent), Construction (9 percent) and Human health and social work activities (7 percent).
Remittances alone account for 19 percent of total HH income. Remittances make up the large majority (95 percent) of income within the remittances and gifts category.
Overall, the main items contributing to total HH income are wages and salaries (42 percent), remittances (19 percent), imputed rents (12 percent), agricultural income (6 percent) business income (5 percent). The significance of subsistence income and handicrafts income is high in the outer islands of Tonga.” -
SORRY SPENCER W. BUT YOU NEED FURTHER LEARNING ABOUT GDP, the main economic measurement of a country's economic output...You cannot "move money around" in economics as you wish...if you're an economist, that's a funny way (dishonesty and ignorant)) of explaining economic statistics. You sound more like the PM and his side-kick explaining away financial facts as "fananga" to GPS students, and expect the public to believe it.
Moreover, you're denying economics forces that drive the economy as if you're talking with your half-baked educated buddies in a faikava. Remittances are not "welfare" funds which shows your ignorance about the GDP and economics in general.
I have a feeling you're still in the Dark Ages when small amounts of Remittance were considered "consumption" only in the GDP formula (GDP= Consumption + Investment + Government spending + (eXport - iMport). Please do some research with economists to see where the Remittance 39% GDP proceeds come from in the Tongan economy...comared to less than 15% from agriculture and fishing. Where do the funds come from to fund increasing constructions of homes, home remodeling, pay for school children's education, start a business, buying motor vehicles, fund church constructions, fund school constructions, and peoples' increasing bank savings (Investments) come from?
You should see that Tonga's economy is moving away from the back-breaking subsistence-fishing farming to a financial economy supported by Remittances. -
I did not answer how to finance the free money to my proposal. I am just moving the money around from what is already exist. I’ve post about these items all over FB. One or twice I may mentioned it here.
The A3Z is gone, Privatize.
Ombudsman is gone
Consolidated NY, San Fran and Hawaii office with one location in Salt Lake City Utah.
The 200K for each district, i.e. 200K x 17 = ???
Cut travel cost 80%
I am sure there are more funds from cost cutting that are avail for the farmers. -
Malo e fkkaukau Sione Mokofisi – I hear you loud and clear however, I still believe what I experienced 45 years ago, the old way of subsistence farming. That is what I learned, and I still feel it’s appropriate even today. If the remittance is divided equally among the citizens, then by all mean forget agriculture and fishes. Who want to smell fishy? I forewarn Tonga, you will lose your dignity and individuality. Do not fall for a quick buck by remittance. Just like God said, man will eat their bread by the sweat of their brow or something like that.
With regard to the GDP, just because a certain sector holds the higher percentage section of the GDP means, it should be the backbone of the economy. In the report itself, it stipulates three contributors to the economy growth. They named it primary, secondary and tertiary. And rightfully so, I concur with their conclusion that farming is the primary driver [agriculture, forestry, fisheries] to the growth of the economy. I view the economy as what you make and sell, not what I receive without working for it to spend. I believe, this is why the equation of the GDP does not include remittance in it. But if Tonga use it as part of their GDP formula, I’ll just go along with it.
About remittance, it’s just a fancy word for welfare programs. But just like any welfare programs it has good and bad. We all know how the welfare programs affecting lives in the democratic stronghold cities throughout USA. Tonga cannot escape the same fate. The PM once referred to the faikava people as lazy folks. He never mentioned the remittance folks but I am sure he was thinking of them too. Naturally, the remittance folks gravitate to watching the MMT game instead of walking to the bush to exercise.
The Tonga office of statistic concluded 80% of the remittance are spend on consumables. So, their choices are rice or manioke. Manioke will win every time. The question is, is it domestic manioke or frozen ones from Fiji. Tonga, ‘alu o to ha maioke. But but but where is the other 20%?, maybe TC Gita blew it away, I said. Just like every other money in Tonga. Their data also added, the total 18K households of Tonga, 3K DOES NOT received remittance. What would these people do? Love thy neighbor and share your remittance or your middle finger? Your only choice is to go fishing after you stop at your plantation to kaitunui manioke. If your catch is good then trade the excess for remittance. 15K household were surveyed, by ToS, of their agricultural activities. 65% of them deeply engage with the plantation. The further away are you from Nuku’alofa, the higher the participation rate, with exception of Eua & Niua tie at 90%. I extrapolate from these numbers, 10K households receive remittance and still go to the bush. I concluded, remittance is not enough to do the job. So, the question is, why do they go to the bush? Or do they go there to hook up with the neighbor’s 3 legged-cow wife or the husband or the cow in case of the newly 6M park? I forgot, only the PATO are allows there. The rest go hiki hoosi.
The remittance has already compromised the economy. Its’ influx increases the money supply and comes with it, its’ own problem. Zero percent interest rate is one of the first manifestation of it. The May 2019 revision of the National Reserve Bank monetary policy tell us that. The same policy call for 80% statutory reserve deposit ratio. Why not 90%?, because 20% of the remittance is tug under the fkmolu. If it enters into any investment vehicles, they would become real contribution to be counted toward the real GDP formula. Third, cap the inflation at 5%. Well, the 2019 Budget Statement said we are at 5.5%.
The farmers on the other hand are interested in the zero percent interest. Their 15% contribution to the GDP is a gauging tool. The correct question to ask, could it be higher or lower? The answer is absolutely, yes, higher is better. The conditions are ripening for agricultural explosion due to 0% interest and devaluing of the pa’anga. Unemployment including subsistence is at 33%. Technology like palau are avail more than before. Unfortunately, the government has no clue about economic to lead the farmers. Perhaps they are too busy he kapa ngako. When they have the heart attack, Vaiola can’t treat them but those associated with funeral will get a buck.
Anyone want to hang out with me to talk about the country, I am here ;https://www.facebook.com/groups/627664284371306/ -
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? -
Malo e ngaue kainga. I love you. Any fananga or gossip with regard to crops and fishes, I lean over to listen. I always post to increase the budget for the ngoue and ika potungaue. The potungaue then provide low interest or give out the money for free to the farmers.
The nutrition aspect is sound right in theory. Our ancestors have lived to old ages. We exist for years and years on the same damn food sources. We see so many fat Tongans runs around. That itself is a Climate change problem, NOT. No one die from hunger. So, I am not really worry about nutrition. If you read the Tonga Office of Statistic report on nutritions, you know I am stretching the truth a little here.
To finance the farmers is something dear and close to my heart. That is why I advocate to increase the budget for the Potungaue ngoue moe ika. They are the backbone of the Tonga economy. We taught our children to do well in school to better their livelihood earning in the future. I felt the same way about the Tonga economy. Thus, as I introduce, give money for free to the farmers. I am not worry about the ROI. Remember we already have a 15% consumption taxes. Once I pick up grocery in America with a label, Product of Tonga, then I will come around to say, we need to talk about ROI.
The communication system is something I do not see it has an impact of value. Everyone has cell phones. What I wanted in its place is a work shop to exchange ideas and experiences of the farmers. Hold a semi-annual work shops where communication could take place. Introduce the yield production per acreage concept. I will beg the Nobles and land owners to let no square inches of their land fall into fallow.
Insurance is a scam especially if the government get their hands on it. I will leave it there. We are not ready for insurance.
Thus, stop taking, stop theorizing, stop back biting, stop eti faiva but do something. That is what MMT is all about. The MMT rugby seem to fall apart. So, we’ll take up the MMT mantle for the country.