09 Feb Saving Seeds, Securing Futures: Strengthening Climate Resilience for Smallholder Farmers
On the scattered islands of Tonga, farming has always been both a livelihood and a way of life. Yet for many rural households, climate change is making that life increasingly uncertain. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts and stronger cyclones are disrupting planting cycles and threatening food security. At the same time, access to quality seeds and planting materials remains limited and costly, particularly for farmers living on outer islands.
In response, MORDI Tonga Trust has launched a bold initiative to strengthen local seed systems through the establishment of a seed bank and an open-pollinated nursery. The programme aims to conserve local seed varieties, multiply climate-resilient crops, and return quality planting materials to farming communities.
Building a Climate-Resilient Seed Bank
The seed bank is designed to collect, preserve and multiply seeds that are locally adapted to Tonga’s climate and soils. These include traditional and farmer-preferred varieties that have demonstrated resilience to drought, pests and extreme weather conditions. By conserving these seeds, MORDI Tonga is safeguarding genetic diversity that might otherwise be lost as farmers increasingly rely on imported commercial seeds.
For smallholder farmers, this represents a critical shift. Locally adapted seeds are often better suited to withstand climate stress, reducing crop failure and stabilising yields. The seed bank also ensures that communities have a reliable supply of planting materials, even when supply chains are disrupted by disasters or high import costs.
The Role of the Open-Pollinated Nursery
Alongside the seed bank, MORDI Tonga has established an open-pollinated nursery to propagate and distribute seeds and seedlings to farmers. Open-pollinated crops allow farmers to save seeds from their harvest and replant them in subsequent seasons. This reduces dependency on purchased hybrid seeds and lowers production costs for households with limited income.
The nursery acts as a hub for seed multiplication and learning. Farmers are trained in seed selection, storage and propagation techniques, strengthening their capacity to manage their own seed systems. By distributing planting materials back to communities, MORDI Tonga is helping farmers rebuild and diversify their crops with varieties that are resilient and locally suited.
Strengthening Rural Livelihoods and Food Security
For many farmers in Tonga, access to quality agricultural inputs is constrained by geography and cost. Imported seeds can be expensive and are often not adapted to local conditions. The seed bank and nursery address this gap directly, providing farmers with reliable, affordable and climate-resilient planting materials.
This approach strengthens household food security by enabling farmers to produce diverse crops throughout the year. It also supports income generation, as surplus produce can be sold in local markets or supplied to institutions such as schools and hospitals. Over time, stronger local seed systems contribute to greater agricultural self-reliance and national food sovereignty.
Community Ownership and Knowledge Sharing
MORDI Tonga’s initiative goes beyond seed conservation. It is rooted in community participation and knowledge exchange. Farmers are engaged in selecting varieties, managing seed stocks and sharing traditional knowledge about crop resilience. This participatory approach builds local ownership and ensures that the seed bank responds to the needs and priorities of farmers.
By revitalising traditional seed-sharing practices, the programme also strengthens social networks and collective resilience. Communities become not only beneficiaries, but custodians of their agricultural heritage.
Investing in Resilience for an Uncertain Climate
As climate pressures intensify across the Pacific, strengthening local seed systems is becoming a strategic priority for sustainable agriculture. MORDI Tonga’s seed bank and open-pollinated nursery represent a practical and forward-looking investment in climate adaptation. They provide farmers with the tools to cope with environmental change, reduce dependency on external inputs and sustain livelihoods in rural areas.
In preserving seeds, MORDI Tonga is also preserving futures. For Tonga’s smallholder farmers, resilient seeds are more than an agricultural input. They are a foundation for food security, dignity and resilience in a changing world.
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