Kelera Ditaiki 
The Pacific must lead with solutions, not be seen as victims of climate change, says Trade Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica.
He delivered the keynote address at the World Food Forum 2025 and the Hand-In-Hand Initiative Investment Forum at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen climate-resilient food systems.
Kamikamica said Pacific innovation is deeply rooted in community knowledge, collective resilience, and cultural values.
Ancestral practices are being combined with modern technology to create adaptive and climate-smart food systems across the region.
He highlighted the Digital Earth Pacific program, which uses decades of satellite data to monitor coastal change, soil health, and climate impacts, enabling governments and communities to make science-based decisions while building on traditional systems such as agroforestry, intercropping and rotational planting.
Kamikamica noted that Pacific communities have always understood the interconnectedness of ecosystems, from reef to river and from farmer to fisher.
Through mechanisms such as the Pacific Heads of Agriculture and Forestry Services and the SIDS Solutions platform, local innovations are being amplified to strengthen regional resilience.
He stressed that women, youth, and MSMEs must remain at the center of agrifood transformation, calling them the heartbeat of resilience and innovation in the Pacific.
As the world prepares for COP30 in Brazil, he emphasized that the Pacific must be heard as leaders with solutions, shaping global approaches to climate and food security.
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