On the rolling hills of Malaita, the Gwaunafiu Organic Learning Farm pulses with life, a living testament to the fusion of ancestral wisdom and sustainable innovation. Here, compost steams under the morning sun, transforming fallen leaves and chicken manure into the “black gold” that feeds the land. At the heart of this transformation stands Lionel Maeliu, a farmer, innovator, and tireless advocate for the earth and its people. His hands cradle not just soil, but a vision: "Feed the soil, and it will feed you." A mantra passed down from his grandparents, now echoed in the practices of 50% of farmers under the project's scope have turned to organic methods.
The POLFN project, scaling organic solutions across the country
Lionel Maeliu’s journey as a leader reached new heights through the Pacific Organic Learning Farms Network (POLFN), a Kiwa Initiative-funded project that became the catalyst for scaling the principles he had championed his entire life. For Lionel, Kiwa POLFN was more than a project; it is a movement. "This is very important for what I’ve seen now," he reflects. "The project helps move agroecology knowledge concretely to other provinces, so they can understand its benefits. If they don’t understand, our people will be late, and they won’t know what to do. This message should move now; it’s the right message for climate change today."
At the Gwaunafiu Organic Learning Farm, conservation plots cradle rare taro varieties and native fruit trees, many on the brink of disappearance. The farm itself is a classroom without walls, where farmers gather not as students, but as co-creators. Lesley Sanga, farm advisor and former journalist, documents the old ways, how to revive a taro stricken by AloMae, how to read the silent language of pests in the eggs on leaf undersides. And the land answers back in vibrant green: crops stand taller, resistant to blight; the hum of insects and birds replaces the silence of depleted soil; and the soil, once weary, now holds water like a sponge, defying the erratic rains of a changing climate.
Challenges ahead: market, and the next/new generation
Yet challenges remain. Market access is still a stubborn barrier. Still, Lionel’s resolve is unshaken. He mentors young farmers, organizes training, and advocates for greater support, ensuring the vision of Kiwa POLFN — and his own — grows stronger each season. His deepest concern? The next generation. "If the young ones don’t learn, who will carry this forward?" He asks.
"If nobody like me draws on kastom farming methods, our traditional knowledge will be lost. That’s why I started Farmer School, so people can come and learn, and this knowledge can live on." For Lionel Maeliu, farming is not just survival; it’s a calling. A way to honor the earth, empower communities, and forge a future where tradition and innovation walk hand in hand.
