Agriculture in the Pacific Island Countries is largely dependent on smallholder family farms that often have access to less than two hectares of land. Labour for these farms often depend on household members. 

The challenges of poor economic geography, including small market size and large distances between local and export markets, costly marketing infrastructure, and lack of domestic value-adding opportunities have reduced the competiveness of these farmers. 

In spite of these challenges, there are opportunities for smallholders to develop access to markets.

FAO has published a brief titled Challenges and opportunities to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Pacific Island countries.  

 “The objective of this technical brief is to provide information on some main challenges that small farmers are faced with in the Pacific Island Countries, such as market access constraints, diversification and limited access to financial resources. Said Shukrullah Sherzad, FAO Officer who developed the brief. "This brief highlights available opportunities for smallholders and recommendations which could provide possible solution for the mentioned challenges of smallholders in the region”.

The brief contains: 

• Production and marketing challenges of smallholders farmers
• Available opportunities  for the improvement of smallholders farmers’ production and access to markets
• Recommendations to mitigate smallholder farmers’ production and marketing challenges

 Follow link to download the brief