Enviro News Asia, Rome – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Kingdom of Tonga have signed a US$5.3 million financing agreement for the Tonga Rural Innovation Project – Phase III (TRIP III), a six-year initiative designed to enhance climate resilience and rural livelihoods.
The project aims to benefit approximately 35,000 people—more than one-third of Tonga’s population—by strengthening their ability to withstand climate shocks and natural disasters while improving food security and income opportunities.
“We are moving beyond local development to confront the defining challenges of our time—from climate change and eroding biodiversity to rural youth unemployment—to ensure rural communities can not only withstand future shocks but also thrive,” said Reehana Raza, IFAD Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. She described TRIP III as a shared commitment between IFAD and Tonga to build long-term resilience through productive agriculture and expanded economic opportunities.
Building on two earlier phases, TRIP III will promote diversified crop production, climate-resilient farming practices, and inclusive rural development. Fully aligned with Tonga’s Agriculture Sector Plan II, the initiative will invest in community and cluster farming models, enabling farmers to pool land, inputs, and equipment for more efficient and cost-effective production.
The programme will also strengthen market access for small-scale farmers—both domestically and internationally—and create on- and off-farm employment opportunities for young people between 2026 and 2031.
According to Candra Samekto, IFAD Country Director for the Pacific Islands, TRIP III is designed to deepen impact by embedding climate-resilient practices at the core of rural community life and reinforcing national food and nutrition security.
A key component of the project is the establishment of an innovation facility to help participants—particularly youth—test and scale sustainable solutions. These include mechanisation services, greenhouse cultivation, drip irrigation systems, digital applications, value addition, and waste utilisation.
While IFAD is providing a US$5.3 million grant, domestic and international partners will contribute an additional US$10.16 million toward the total project cost.
Tonga, an archipelago of 170 islands, faces distinct development challenges. Most of the population resides on Tongatapu, while outer island communities often have limited access to infrastructure, technology, and markets. Smallholder farmers are especially vulnerable to climate variability and natural disasters, including the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, which contributed to a nearly 6 percent decline in real GDP in 2021 and 2022.
TRIP III marks the sixth initiative within IFAD’s US$33 million rural development portfolio in Tonga. The previous phase, TRIP II, concluded in 2025 and exceeded its targets, reaching nearly twice the intended population—more than half of whom were women. It institutionalised community-driven planning and demonstrated strong economic returns, with cluster farming profits reaching TOP 242 million (approximately US$104 million).
The new phase seeks to consolidate these gains while equipping Tonga’s rural communities to adapt, innovate, and prosper in the face of escalating climate risks. (*)
