Coconut industry empowers Tongan farmers

The coconut industry has provided a great opportunity for some of Tonga's remote and isolated communities. Photo: Oxfam/Kristian Frires

The production of Virgin Coconut Oil in Tonga for a growing international market is proving a great source of work for local farmers.

The Tonga National Youth Congress (TNYC), with the support of Oxfam and the New Zealand Aid Programme, has played a significant part in building the industry by encouraging young people to develop skills and use them in agriculture to make a living.

Coconut oil from Tonga is exported under the Heilala Vanilla brand to New Zealand, Australia and Japan. It is also sold in Tonga itself to the Fiesta ice cream company, servicing tourists and locals.

TNYC's field officers visit the coconut farms twice a month to grade and purchase the coconuts, paying the farmers between 25c and 40c per coconut according to size. Once upon a time, the coconuts were left to rot or fed to the pigs, but now they are a solid source of income for Tongan families.

The officers take the coconuts to one of 16 hurricane-proof processing sites operated by the TNYC. They are husked and halved with machetes and grated by machines. The coconuts are then put through oil press machines, which squeezes all the valuable oil from their flesh.

It takes three hours and means absolutely nothing composing a coconut is wasted. The husks are used for fire; the shells are made into kava cups; and the pressed coconut is fed to animals. Each of the TNYC's sites produces around 40 litres of Virgin Coconut Oil per day.

Photo: Oxfam/Kristian Frires

Fiesta Ice Cream, based in Ma'ufanga, near the Nuku'alofa interisland ferry terminal, is Tonga's only local producer of confectionary. Business manager Osova Puliuver contacted TNYC via the Manufacturing Association of Tonga. Osova said Fiesta aims "to support local industries and we are very, very happy to help TNYC. And I am proud that we are Tonga made."

Fiesta purchases coconut oil that is an off-white colour, extracted from coconut flesh that has been dried for a longer period of time than that for shop shelves, making for a stronger and nuttier flavour. It also lends the ice cream an additionally soft, creamy taste and aroma

Osova takes pride in the company's signature product, called the Topsy bar, which is a vanilla-coconut confection dipped in a thin layer of chocolate. It's a good earner, in that it takes only 30c to make yet retails for at least P$1.80.

Fiesta buys around 200 litres of virgin coconut oil each week, and TNYC then reinvests the profit into local communities by helping farmers get organic certification.

The coconut industry has provided a great opportunity for some of Tonga's remote and isolated communities.

"Often these communities are left out of the cash economy and productive sector, mainly due to their sea distance from the main islands. The experience of earning cash right at their door step is something truly welcomed by these isolated communities and they are keen to maintain and grow this," says Kamilo Ali, Oxfam's Pacific Livelihoods Programme Officer.

Photo: Oxfam/Kristian Frires

'Eua is an example of one of these communities, with a mountainous, heavily-forested landscape. It is an eight minute flight from the main island of Tongatapu, but puts its 5,000 residents in a state of isolation. They live off the land and there are very few jobs, save for fledgling tourist and forestry industries. Many young 'Euans move to Nuku'alofa, or in with relatives in New Zealand and Australia, simply to find work.

However, coconuts are now being processed at a site in the island's capital Ohonua. It employs two office staff and nine coconut workers, who work to achieve a weekly target of 200 litres of coconut oil.

31-year-old Tupou Nauiuzi is the site manager at the 'Eua coconut processing site. She's the only income earner in her family, with her husband occupied growing bush vegetables for food. Tupou pays the family's bills and buys meat, and is now also able to save money for her grandparents in Nuku'alofa, which she hasn't been able to do before having this job.

Siua Siale, 21, is on the staff at the 'Eua facility in Petuni village. He dries and grates the coconut, as well as helping out where he is needed. He previously worked in construction on the local city hall, but when his contract finished he was left without work. He could have taken up bush farming, but he wanted to earn enough money to pay school fees for his brothers and sisters. Siua approached the coconut operation and was given a job there.

Siua now passes his earnings to his father, who separates out only what the family needs before giving the remainder back to him.

"I'm proud to pay for my brothers and sister to go to school. If I can't earn money at the VCO then they have to leave school. It's good for me to work here and support my family. Working here is changing their life, my life.

"I thank the people of New Zealand who are supporting the project. Please support Tonga youth more. The more jobs for us the better; we want to work!"

Osova from Fiesta Ice Cream is thankful and hopeful for the industry. "I am very impressed with what TNYC is doing. I would like to thank New Zealand and Oxfam for supporting a project like this."

New Zealanders can purchase Oxfam Unwrapped ice cream to support the initiative themselves, or buy Heilala coconut oil from Countdown stores nationwide.

Like what you see? For weekly Element news sign up to our newsletter. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.