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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Impacts of climate change on taro food loss and farmers’ food security in Tonga and Samoa
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Vol.9, pp.1-12
2025
Abstract
Climate change is impacting Pacific Island food systems, reducing household food security, resilience and economic stability. This study examines climate change impacts on taro food loss in Upolu, Samoa, and Tongatapu, Tonga, focusing on postharvest handling and strategies to improve food security. It compares taro farmer climate change perceptions, postharvest handling and losses to highlight similarities and differences in taro farming practices in Samoa and Tonga. Data for this study were collected through farmer interviews and taro shelf-life analysis. Seventy farmers were surveyed, and eight were shadowed from harvest to sale. The study findings reveal that climate change factors including shifting rainfall patterns and extreme weather events exacerbate postharvest losses. Non-climatic factors such as labor shortages, poor handling, limited transportation, and poor storage practices are primary factors also contributing to the affordability and availability of taro. Farmers have adopted strategies such as the use of early warning systems, prompt harvesting and soil protection practices to mitigate climate change induced losses. By linking climate change, food security, and food loss along the taro value chain, the study enhances understanding of the postharvest handling procedures of taro in Samoa and Tonga and identifies strategies for policies that can provide support for infrastructure development for fostering sustainable, climate-resilient taro farming systems in the Pacific Islands.
Details
- Title
- Impacts of climate change on taro food loss and farmers’ food security in Tonga and Samoa
- Authors
- Christian Amato-Ali (Corresponding Author) - University of the South PacificViliamu Iese - The University of MelbourneSeeseei Molimau-Samasoni - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australian Centre for Pacific Islands ResearchGayathri Mekala - The University of MelbourneSoane Patolo - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australian Centre for Pacific Islands ResearchHilda Sakiti-Waqa - University of the South Pacific
- Publication details
- Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Vol.9, pp.1-12
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3389/fsufs.2025.1663648
- ISSN
- 2571-581X
- Copyright note
- © 2025 Amato-Ali, Iese, Molimau-Samasoni, Mekala, Patolo and Waqa-Sakiti. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
- Grant note
- Funding for the publishing of this journal is provided by The Pacific Ocean and Climate Crisis Assessment Project (POCCA) administered by the University of the South Pacific. This project also received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under grant agreement no. 873185 for writing this article.
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991192344202621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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