The 2015 census covers all households and agricultural holdings as well as all villages in Tonga. Items covered include the
following:
At the Household and Organizational level:
- HOUSEHOLD: Geographic Identification, Levels of Agricultual Activity of the household, Agricultural holdings, Crops, Income from agricultural acivities, Use of fertilizers, Traditional methods for food storage, Use of traditional knowledge for planting, Travelling with locally grown food, Water usage, Livestock characteristics, Type of operation, Nature of disposal, Fishing, Pearl farming equipment and facilities, Pearl income;
- HOLDING: Identification, characteristics, parcel details, scattered plants/trees, crops, labour input;
In 2009, from those households that were involved in growing crops, most grew vegetables and food crops (71%), followed by betel nut (44%), coconut/copra (32%), cocoa (26%), flowers (14%), timber (10%), tobacco (9%), and other crops (7%)
Summary data of tonga agriculture exports. Source: Agriculture Division.
This paper focuses on the environmental challenges of sustainable development issues with particular attention to natural resource management, environment and climate change in the food and agriculture sector (including crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry).
The Census of Agriculture & Fisheries (AGC 2011) is a national government operation geared towards the collection and compilation of statistics in the agriculture sector of the country. The collected data will constitute the bases from which policymakers and planners will formulate plans for the country's development.
The impacts of climate change and human activity are the main contributing factors to the declining production of food and food security. The Marshallese people have long been cultivating the land for food, medicinal and other traditional purposes. The Ministry of Resources and Development (R&D) has a
programme to restock livestock and food crops for national food security. Over 2,800 types of plants were distributed on most of the outer islands, as well as Majuro.