China provides 6.1 million RMB for phase 2 of the agricultural demonstration farm (linked to projects #39248, #65028, #65029, #37707)

On January, 28, 2011, an agreement for the second phase of the technical cooperation project for Tonga Farm was signed in which China committed assistance in the agricultural sector. This included the implementation of phase two of the Sino-Tonga ecological farm project, which is a Chinese agricultural demonstration farm (for phase one, see #39248). This project was funded by a Chinese grant of 6.1 million RMB. For phase 2, China sent 5 experts and an interpreter to assist in project implementation. The technical assistance involved training on large-scale mushroom cultivation, duck raising, pig farming, sweet potato powder processing, and use of biogas. The group also provided training on Vaini Farm and assist in building 10 methane generating pits. This team implemented the project from January 2011 to June 2012. It was reported that there are 8 Chinese Agriculture experts living on Tongatapu providing regular on-site maintenance and repair services for the biogas project. Hunan International Engineering Cooperation Company was involved in the implementation of this project. It appears this project has been “inaugurated” on multiple occasions. There was an opening ceremony on June 20, 2012, and a completion ceremony on 16 August, 2012, however the Belt and Road portal reported that it was not finished until 2013. Regardless, the project has reached completion, and has received multiple visits from Chinese, Tongan, and UN officials. Following training sessions for interested farmers at the demonstration farm, 15 biogas systems were constructed for 13 farmers in Tongatapu and 2 farmers in Vava’u. This project is linked to #39248, #65028, and #65029, which record phases 1, 3, and 4 of the agricultural demonstration farm respectively. It is additionally linked to #37707, which details additional funding for phase 1.

Number of official sources

17

Number of total sources

21