POLFN team learning trip to Teitei Taveuni in Fiji.

Ongoing learning exchanges is crucial for the project to learn and adapt relevant approaches from previous/existing sustainable, organic and agroecological farming programmes and projects. The Pacific organic farms learning network (POFLN) project held its first learning exchange with the PROTÉGÉ project, to learn from the farms that have been established under it. Discussions revolved around the project setup, management, activities, challenges and lessons learnt from their farmer networks in the French territories – Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and French Polynesia.

Additionally, the POFLN team visited the Teitei Taveuni group of farmers based in the garden island of Fiji, Taveuni. This visit gave the project team the opportunity to learn and increase their understanding from the experienced farmers part of Teitei Taveuni. The knowledge exchange was immense as Teitei Taveuni was an active network of farmers that are continuously researching and adapting farming practices on 10 demonstration farms. They had time tested trials to improve and enhance soil health and productivity which was something that some farmers struggled or failed to attend to in most circumstances.

All in all, these learning exchanges has enabled the project team to grow and become more targeted in their approaches to the POLFN project implementation.