Farm gear sought to help Tonga

Tonga needs farming equipment and tractors in its rebuilding efforts, Pasifika Safe Shelter Trust chairman Peter Rodwell says. Photo / Ruby Heyward

Tonga needs tractors.

That is why the Pasifika Safe Shelter Trust is calling on people to donate old farming equipment.

Part of the Tongan relief effort organised by the trust, the Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group, the combined Tongan churches, the Waitaki Tongan Community Trust and the Oamaru Pasifika Network was to send non-perishable food and material items to help people in Tonga as they live through the effects of a natural disaster.

Now the groups are calling on people to donate farming equipment, tractors, building materials, and tools in order to rebuild.

Farming equipment and tractors were particularly important to assist in rebuilding crops, Pasifika Safe Shelter Trust chairman Peter Rodwell said.

The land had been covered by ash and hot rocks from the volcanic eruption and needed to be broken up and re-tilled.

"You have to till the whole of Tonga," he said.

"Having lost many of their fishing boats, the ability to feed themselves over the next six months is seriously going to be affected."

There was a particular need for Massey Ferguson tractors, models 165 through to 265.

Because many tradesmen from Tonga had left to pursue higher-paying work overseas, there were not many mechanics left in the country to fix broken machinery.

People in Tonga knew those tractor models well and could easily move parts from machine to machine.

"They know how they work, and they know how to fix them."

Until crops could be harvested in four to six months, there was still a need for non-perishable items such as vegetable seed packets, rice, dried pasta, flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, cooking oil, tinned fish, baby formula, Milo, coffee, washing powder, toilet soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, woollen blankets, clothing and bedding.

The drop-off point for items is at the back of Oamaru's old BNZ building on the corner of Thames and Coquet Sts, which will be open Wednesday and Saturday from 2pm to 7pm.

Money can be deposited to the trust's bank account 001-0964-0116825-000.