Tonga Organic Sector Pushes for Gender Equality in Agriculture

The Mahuleva Organic Learning Farm Centre in Tonga celebrated International Women's Day on March 8, by hosting a dialogue centered around gender inequality in Tonga's agricultural sector.

The dialogue served as a platform for the government to gain valuable insight into the challenges faced by women in farming on the ground, encouraging fruitful exchanges and discussions on how to address these pressing issues.

“In Tongan society, women are traditionally revered as the "queens" of the family and not typically involved in farming, unlike broader practices in the Pacific and globally. Despite this cultural norm, women are increasingly engaging in agriculture. Even though that is our cultural way of living, we support these women in our community, and I hope all communities support them, too..”, said Sio Tuiano, a community representative from Kolomotu‘a on Tongatapu.