Samoa, along with Tonga and Vanuatu, has secured US$42.06 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to support climate-resilient and regenerative agriculture over the next five years. 

The funding will be delivered through the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with national governments, aiming to strengthen food security, livelihoods, and agricultural systems in the face of climate change.

Pacific farming communities face growing pressures from rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and stronger cyclones, which threaten crop production, soil health, and water resources. 

Director of SPC’s Land Resources Division, Karen Mapusua, said the investment responds directly to growing risks to Pacific food and agricultural production systems.

“These systems across the Pacific are under increasing strain from climate impacts and external shocks. This investment enables countries to strengthen local food and agriculture production while safeguarding the incomes and well-being of the thousands of farming families who depend on agriculture. By transitioning to climate‑resilient and regenerative practices, we can protect our food systems, restore our soils, reduce use of fossil fuel-based inputs and ensure that Pacific farmers can continue to thrive.”

Over 50,000 people are anticipated to benefit directly through improved food and nutrition security and more resilient and secure livelihoods, with wider impacts across rural communities. The programme is also expected to improve the management of more than 20,000 hectares of agricultural land, strengthening soil health and ecosystem resilience.

Director of the  GCF Department of the Asia and Pacific Region, Hemant Mandal, said the investment reflects the urgency of supporting countries already experiencing climate impacts.

“The Establishing Climate Resilient, Regenerative Agricultural Systems programme will empower farmers in Tonga, Vanuatu, and Samoa to adopt innovative practices that restore soils, enhance agricultural practices, and strengthen markets and livelihoods. It will also strengthen national systems and scale up climate-resilient agriculture across these small island developing states.”

“The investment reflects GCF’s commitment to strengthening regional ownership of climate action and being the Pacific’s climate partner of choice. This new financing also supplements GCF’s already substantial portfolio in the region.”  

 About 60 per cent of households in the region rely on locally grown food, making resilient agriculture critical. Current unsustainable practices, such as monocropping, deforestation, and heavy chemical use, further degrade soil and reduce biodiversity, leaving farms more vulnerable to climate shocks.

The programme, Establishing Climate Resilient and Regenerative Agricultural Systems, focuses on transforming farming methods to restore soil fertility, improve water retention, diversify crops, and rebuild ecosystems. In Samoa, priority crops include staple root crops and vegetables for nutrition, as well as commercial crops like kava for income and exports. Farmers will benefit from demonstration farms, farmer-to-farmer learning, tailored technical support, and farm-level technologies suited to local conditions.

The programme will also address the barriers that prevent farmers from adopting climate-resilience practices, such as gaps in extension services, limited climate information, and market constraints. By improving these systems, the programme aims to scale up climate-resilient agriculture nationwide.

Officials estimate that more than 50,000 people will benefit directly through improved food and nutrition security, while over 20,000 hectares of farmland will see enhanced soil health and ecosystem resilience.

SPC leaders emphasised that the programme’s timing is critical, as food security is an urgent challenge for Pacific islands on the frontline of climate change. The investment adds to SPC’s growing climate finance portfolio, supporting long-term agricultural resilience and sustainability in Samoa and across the Pacific.