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Former President Encourages Landowners to Continue Protecting the Land
NADI, FIJI – “To our landowners and members of the vanua, I encourage you to continue cherishing and protecting the land entrusted to you”.
These were the sentiments shared by the former President of the Republic of Fiji, Na Gone Turaga Bale na Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere, who officiated at the inaugural Fiji International Landcare & Sustainable Agriculture Conference hosted by the Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CAFF).
The three-day conference, which brought together experts, practitioners, researchers and stakeholders from Fiji, the Pacific and around the world, commenced yesterday at the Fiji National University's Namaka Campus in Nadi.
Na Gone Turaga Bale na Tui Macuata said the collaboration between the FNU and its partners united participants under a shared purpose to protect, restore and sustainably manage the land and natural resources that support the livelihoods and wellbeing of all people.
“For us as iTaukei people, the vanua is far more than the land beneath our feet. It is our identity, our history, our culture and our way of life. It connects our people, our traditions and our future. The wellbeing of our vanua is directly linked to the wellbeing of our communities. When communities care for the land, the land continues to care for the community,” he said.
Delegates also witnessed the launch of the South Pacific Extension and Development Institute (SPEDI). SPEDI serves as an innovation and outreach hub, bringing together tertiary institutions, Government ministries, and Non-Government Organisations to drive practical advancements in Fiji’s primary industries.
The institute represents an investment in the future of agriculture, rural development and communities, ensuring that knowledge does not remain within institutions but reaches all farmers, villages and young people. FNU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba, added that the Landcare movement began in Australia in 1986 with a simple but powerful truth.
“Conservation and agricultural productivity are not opposing goals but complementary ones, and farmers themselves are the best custodians of the land they work,” said the Vice-Chancellor.
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Nick Austin, said ACIAR’s approach was based on co-creating knowledge by combining scientific evidence, local experience and community leadership, to develop solutions that were practical, locally owned and enduring.
“Land care empowers communities to work together, learn together, and take collective action to improve livelihoods while caring for the landscapes on which they depend,” said Dr Austin.
The FNU’s Dean for the College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Associate Professor Dr. Kaliova Ravuiwasa, called on academics and researchers to be custodians of the knowledge shared at the conference.
The conference is hosted in partnership by the FNU and Global Landcare and supported by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research, Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, Tei Tei Taveuni, the Department of Science and Technology - Philippines Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, RMIT University, the University of the Philippines Los Banos, and the University of Philippines Mindanao.
The conference concludes with a field trip on Friday.
Expert Reaction
These comments have been collated by the Science Media Centre to provide a variety of expert perspectives on this issue. Feel free to use these quotes in your stories. Views expressed are the personal opinions of the experts named. They do not represent the views of the SMC or any other organisation unless specifically stated.
Elenoa Biukoto, Earth Observation Technical Officer, Pacific Community (SPC)
"The Pacific is facing further difficulties as a result of land degradation, climate change, and growing demands on its natural resources. Researchers, government representatives, communities, and development partners come together at events like the Fiji International Landcare & Sustainable Agriculture Conference to provide practical solutions that can improve sustainable land management across the area.
"I'll be talking about how Digital Earth Pacific and open geospatial data are helping Pacific Island countries use satellite data to track changes in their landscapes. Governments can access pre-processed environmental data that helps with land use planning, sustainable agriculture, forest management, and compliance with international obligations, such as the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, rather than spending a lot of time processing raw satellite images.
"Improving access to high-quality environmental data is one of the Pacific's major opportunities. Ministries, researchers, and local communities can make better decisions about protecting productive land, strengthening agricultural resilience, and responding to climatic and environmental changes when they have access to the same trustworthy data.
"I want to stress how important regional cooperation is. Many Pacific countries face similar environmental challenges, and sharing information, resources, and technical expertise allows states to improve their national capacity while learning from one another. To support sustainable development and create resilient communities across the Pacific, open and accessible geospatial data is becoming increasingly important."
Dr Nick Edgar, CEO of NZ Landcare Trust
"Landcare is a community-based approach to caring for and managing land, water, biodiversity, and other natural resources in a sustainable way. It most often involves local people working together to protect, restore, and improve the environment while supporting productive land use. Landcare operates in approximately 40 countries across the globe. It is a relatively new to the Pacific Islands, with considerable opportunities to support landowners and communities to further enhance the sustainability of agricultural practices.
"The impacts of run-off from agriculture effect coral reef ecosystems. Climate change is resulting in more adverse weather events in the Pacific, with cyclones causing devastating impacts on local communities. Now is the time to build greater resilience to climate change by adopting climate smart farming systems that reduce the impacts of adverse weather events on both natural ecosystems and human infrastructure. Adopting good management practices in farming systems can reduce the amount of sediment, nutrients and faecal pathogens travelling through river systems and ending up at the sea, effecting coral ecosystems.
"Landcare is a tried and tested approach internationally that can assist communities to protect and restore their environment. We are hoping the conference will encourage greater uptake and implementation of landcare approaches in the Pacific.
"We will be discussing the initiation of an Oceania Landcare Strategy in partnership with Pacific Island governments. We will begin with Fiji, and If successful, Global Landcare aims to expand the strategy to all Pacific Island nations. This will involve dedicated funding from Global Landcare to support sustainable agriculture projects on the ground in the Pacific. It will include providing access to a catchment management training programme developed by the NZ Landcare Trust. This programme has been successfully implemented in New Zealand, having already trained over 250 farming and community leaders in the art of catchment management. It will involve establishing a Global Landcare Pacific Extension and Learning Network. The network will aim to support continued training and capability development of Pacific communities in landcare and sustainable agriculture.
"Prior to the conference, there is a dedicated Landcare Masterclass Training Workshop on 6-7 July. This workshop will be hosted by Global Landcare in partnership with the Australian Centre of International Agricultural Research and Fiji National University. A group of professional facilitators, trainers, and subject matter experts from across the globe will be supporting a group of approximately 30 people from Pacific Island nations to build their understanding of landcare and sustainable agriculture principles and practices. The aim is for those participants who are trained at the masterclass to take their learnings back to their home countries and work with local communities to adopt landcare approaches."
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