A cooperative program with China is transforming food production in Tonga, making it more efficient and sustainable.
In an agricultural facility just outside Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, pigs are raised as part of a breeding program that uses artificial insemination and genetics to produce larger animals capable of feeding more people.
"We always promote practical technology," said Tang Huiyong, team leader of China's technology aid project in Tonga.
Technology is at the core of a cooperative agricultural program between China and Tonga.
Since 2009, Chinese agricultural specialists have been sharing their technical expertise to develop more efficient farming practices on local farms, which is important in a country where climate change is making it harder to grow crops, particularly due to increased flooding and more frequent, intense cyclones.
The heavy reliance on meat and processed foods is contributing to poor nutrition and health problems.
"Diabetes and heart disease are very high here in Tonga. I think four out of five deaths are from these diseases," said Vilimai Manu, chief executive officer of Tonga's Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests, and Fisheries.
Chinese experts also teach local farmers how to grow crops in greenhouses, produce better yields, and use biogas from pig waste as both a power source and fertilizer.
"The first time I saw a piggery and vegetables combined with waste recycled in between I thought this would be the future of farming here in Tonga," said Manu.
Simana Kami grows his own crops and raises pigs to help feed guests at his seaside resort. He also uses biogas to power his stoves instead of extremely expensive gas.
"For one house, it's about 150 a month that I've saved, and also for three houses, that's about 450 a month that I've saved for the past 10 years," said Kami, owner of Oholei Beach Resort.
The program has also introduced more efficient breeding stocks, enabling farmers to produce more chickens and eggs, which reduces the need for costly imports.
"We are still looking at our neighboring countries and trying to learn from each other, and I know they are all looking at us saying how much success we have," said Manu.
Manu remains hopeful that as farmers recognize the benefits of self-sufficiency, more will adopt the use of biogas, paving the way for sustainable agricultural practices in Tonga.
China aid program boosts food productivity in Tonga
China aid program boosts food productivity in Tonga
Chinese cities, towns and villages are putting on dazzling light and lantern shows, staging distinctive folk customs performances, and holding festive mooncake banquets in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Tuesday.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in Chinese culture. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar and dates back more than a millennium. As a festival in honor of the moon and harvest, families reunite on the occasion to admire the bright full moon, light lanterns, and share the holiday pastry of mooncakes.
In the ancient city of Kaifeng of central China's Henan Province and Jinzhou City of northeast China's Liaoning Province, popular tourist attractions and landmarks are bathed in lights, promising a mesmerizing nighttime experience for local residents and tourists alike.
Beijing's famous Beihai Park, a public park and former imperial garden, is staging performances themed around bianzhong, or Chinese chime bells which has a history of over 2,000 years.
In tourist towns and villages of Yunnan Province in the southwest, Zhejiang Province in th east and Guangdong Province in the south, lively folk and dragon dances are gathering numerous locals and tourists to join in the festivities.
Audiences are enjoying a poetry recitation show in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, and a symphony in Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, respectively.
This year, Suining City in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the northwest, have both prepared giant freshly made mooncakes enough to treat hundreds of people at a same time. And in a village of the southwestern Chongqing Municipality, people have prepared their own mooncakes on a flour ground from their newly harvested red sorghum.
"We are filled with the joy of harvest during the merry traditional festival. The festive mood is really nice," said Liu Ya, a local of Jiangjun Village in Chongqing's Bishan District.
Elsewhere, villages in Wuyuan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, are also celebrating their harvest of red pepper by drying them on the roofs. And another village in the eastern province of Shandong has recently held a large banquet for local households to share.
Outside the mainland, colorful lanterns are also dotting the various landmarks, streets and alleyways of Hong Kong and Macao, adding to the festive joy.
Celebrations held across China to mark traditional Mid-Autumn Festival
