In the lush, tropical landscapes of Taveuni, Fiji, the Tutu Rural Training Centre (TRTC) hosted the highly anticipated 2025 Breadfruit Festival, a vibrant celebration of one of the Pacific’s most resilient and promising crops. Organized under the Farmer-Led Research and Innovation (FO-RI) program, this event brought together over 200 participants, including farmers, researchers, and community members, to explore the transformative potential of breadfruit in addressing food security, sustainability, and economic development. With the theme Breadfruit: The Crop of the Future, the festival highlighted innovative farming practices and the cultural significance of this versatile crop.
A Gathering of Innovators and Advocates
The festival, held in September 2025, was a testament to the power of community-driven agricultural innovation. The Senior Divisional Medical Officer (SDMO) of Taveuni graced the event as the chief guest, delivering an inspiring address on the role of breadfruit in promoting nutrition and resilience in the face of climate challenges. The event featured a dynamic lineup of speakers, including the TRTC FORI team, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture Extension Division in Taveuni, and farmer clusters from Bua, Tunuloa, Wairiki (representing Cakaudrove and Macuata), Mabuco, and Wainikeli. These clusters showcased their hands-on experiences and research findings, emphasizing farmer-led solutions to enhance breadfruit cultivation and utilization.
The Pacific Breadfruit Project: Farmer-Led Innovation
At the heart of the festival was the Pacific Breadfruit Project, a cornerstone of the FO-RI program, which places farmers and processors at the center of agricultural research and development. The project, supported by organizations such as the European Union, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), aims to promote sustainable breadfruit production and value-added processing.
The TRTC FORI team shared updates on their groundbreaking work, including the establishment of the TRTC Breadfruit Gene Bank, Value Addition and the farmer led research in the documenting and knowledge sharing of food storage and breadfruit cooking to preserve diverse breadfruit varieties and the development of organic farming practices using compost and compost tea. They also highlighted a 30% increase in production efficiency for organic breadfruit flour, achieved through upgrades to the TRTC food lab and the creation of a farmers’ guide for flour processing. These efforts are designed to reduce reliance on imported wheat flour while enhancing soil health and crop yields.
Voices from the Field
Farmers from the Bua, Tunuloa, Wairiki, Mabuco, and Wainikeli clusters captivated attendees with stories of their action research initiatives. These clusters have been experimenting with agroecological practices, such as marcotting (a propagation technique) and characterizing breadfruit varieties to optimize growth in diverse conditions. Their work underscores the festival’s theme, positioning breadfruit as a climate-resilient crop capable of thriving in the Pacific’s challenging environments.
The Ministry of Agriculture Extension Division in Taveuni provided technical insights, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between farmers and agricultural experts to scale up breadfruit production. Their presentations highlighted how breadfruit can serve as a sustainable alternative to imported staples, supporting Fiji’s goals of import substitution and environmental sustainability.
Breadfruit: A Crop for the Future
The festival’s theme, Breadfruit: The Crop of the Future, resonated deeply with participants. Breadfruit’s nutritional value, comparable to wheat, and its ability to produce high yields with minimal mechanical inputs make it a game-changer for food security. A single breadfruit tree can yield up to 500 pounds of nutrient-dense fruit seasonally for decades, offering a sustainable solution for Pacific communities. The event featured interactive sessions on propagation methods, cooking techniques, and value-added products like breadfruit flour, chips, and even mosquito-repellent derived from its flowers.
Participants also explored the cultural significance of breadfruit through storytelling and traditional practices, reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of Pacific heritage. The festival included a “Breadfruit Learning Journey,” with thematic stops showcasing nursery propagation, on-farm cultivation, and innovative recipes that highlight breadfruit’s versatility.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Breadfruit Festival was more than a celebration—it was a call to action. By bringing together farmers, researchers, and policymakers, TRTC and the FO-RI program are paving the way for a breadfruit resurgence in Fiji and beyond.
The TRTC team is looking ahead of compiling a Breadfruit Manual which will be a direction to re-vitalize the local community and markets that Breadfruit / Uto has its position in the markets also.
The event underscored the crop’s potential to address pressing challenges like climate change, food insecurity, and economic dependency on imports.
As the TRTC FORI team and their partners continue their research, the establishment of the Breadfruit Gene Bank and the adoption of agroecological practices promise to secure breadfruit’s place as a crop of the future. The festival closed with a renewed commitment to collaboration, with plans to expand training programs and share findings with communities across the Pacific.
For more information on the Pacific Breadfruit Project and upcoming events, visit pacificfarmers.com or pacificsolutionsweek.com.
