Breadfruit is a climate-resilient crop well suited to addressing the challenges of food security, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and climate adaptation in the Pacific.

This was one of the findings noted in the outcome report for Grassroots Partnerships for Pacific Solutions, which was held in Rarotonga in August.

Te Tango Enua president Danny Mataroa, the “kuru” breadfruit advocate, told Cook Islands News that the group has met with some families in Mitiaro and that community leaders and the Ariki have approved the use of a piece of land to plant kuru.

“It’s not for everyone, but it is theirs, for Mitiaro families,” Mataroa said. “It’s their project.”

The other outcomes of the meeting were:

• Breadfruit development should focus on improved traditional agriculture systems that value not just economics but also health and culture.
• Breadfruit is best suited to agroforestry farming systems and not monoculture, based on scientific experience and traditional knowledge.
• Breadfruit festivals should be replicated around the region as a means to share information, promote awareness, and promote consumption and production.

The meeting in August was organised by Pacific Farmer Organisations and local partners Te Tango Enua and Kōrero o te 'Ōrau with financial support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, U.S. Department of State, AgriCord, and the European Union.

More than 180 farmers, government officials, researchers, and development partners from 15 Pacific Island Countries attended the meeting, where they focused on strengthening partnerships with grassroots organisations to address the key challenges of climate adaptation and food security.

The meeting revealed the potential for climate-resilient, traditional crops like breadfruit to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods for Pacific people.

In an earlier report, Mataroa said people need to plant kuru, highlighting the ongoing flour shortage on Rarotonga.

“Growing kuru can provide food security, provide an income, and can substitute imports,” he said.