Kusuta is a watermelon grower from the village of Tatakamotonga in #Tongatapu, #Tonga. Married to Sosefo Amone with 7 beautiful children, the couple runs a family farming business – where everyone is involved and has equal roles. They supply watermelons to Nishi Trading for the export markets. “I draw inspiration and support from my husband. Farming for us is a partnership as a family where everyone is involved and has a role to play both at the farm and also at the local market,” Kusuta says.

Aiona is a root crop grower from the village of Kolonga and works for Lotopoha Export Trading in Tonga. As the head of her household, she is committed to farming – a source of livelihood for her family. “Women can do any job if they can dedicate to it,” Aiona says. “There’s a lot of perception that farming is for men, and women are to do household chores, but women can work in the farm if they are given the opportunity.” #PHAMAPlus supports men and women root crop growers like Aiona under a partnership with Lotopoha aimed at improving the productivity of root crops in Tonga. The partnership, supported by #Australia and #NewZealand, provides good agricultural practice (GAP) advice for growers as well as trial plots for better yield and production techniques.

On 13 October, 2020 New Zealand biosecurity inspectors detected live fruit fly larvae in a consignment of watermelons from Tonga. The suspension caused significant economic hardship for growers, exporters and importers, and further damaged Tonga’s reputation for complying with export requirements. PHAMA Plus worked with the watermelon industry and the Tongan Government to respond to the suspension of the Tonga-New Zealand export pathway. PHAMA Plus helped facilitate the quick reopening of the pathway by working with affected private sector partners, contributing to the MPI-MAFF audit, assisting MAFF to procure vital fumigation equipment and supporting liaison between partner agencies in Tonga and New Zealand. On 2 December 2020, New Zealand gave temporary approval or the pathway; less than two months after it was suspended. Approximately 20 tonnes of Tongan watermelons were exported to New Zealand via air freight in December 2020. This was Tonga’s first commercial watermelon export consignment via airfreight, and the first consignment since the suspension on the Tonga-New Zealand export pathway in October 2020. The airfreight service provides more export opportunities and increased income for over 30 growers and 120 watermelon farming households in Tonga. PHAMA Plus continues to support Tonga to achieve full approval of the pathway as well to explore innovative ways to expand opportunities such as the production of frozen watermelon pulp.