On 25 August 2026, WLI will host an online Learning & Networking event focused on Pacific Knowledge Systems and Food Security across Pacific Island countries. The event is for Australia Awards scholars and alumni from the Pacific and their families, as well as development colleagues in our region.
About Pacific Knowledge Systems in the Pacific
For generations, Pacific communities have relied on sophisticated knowledge systems to manage food production, natural resources, and community wellbeing. Traditional and local knowledge has informed practices such as agroforestry, customary fisheries management, seasonal food harvesting, food preservation, and communal systems of sharing, enabling communities to adapt to environmental variability and sustain livelihoods over time.
Across the Pacific, women and men play important and complementary roles in developing, maintaining, and transmitting this knowledge through families, communities, and cultural practices. Indigenous food and knowledge systems embody generations of observation, innovation, and adaptation. Rooted in local environments and cultural values, these systems provide practical approaches to managing resources sustainably, supporting community resilience, and strengthening food sovereignty. They also contribute to intergenerational learning, ensuring that knowledge, skills, and practices continue to evolve while remaining grounded in local contexts.
As communities confront these increasingly complex challenges, there is growing recognition of the value of traditional and local knowledge in strengthening food security and building resilient food systems. Drawing on both Pacific knowledge and contemporary approaches offers opportunities to develop locally grounded solutions that are culturally relevant, sustainable, and community-led.
About the event
In this event moderated by Taina Rauvala (WLI Alumna and Head, Food Safety Unit, Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services), panellists will explore how Pacific knowledge systems continue to shape food security, leadership, and community resilience, and how they can contribute to more sustainable and self-determined food futures across the region. The practitioners will share insights from their work and experience at the intersection of traditional knowledge, food systems, and community leadership. Together, they will explore how local knowledge can contribute to addressing contemporary food security challenges, strengthening community resilience, and shaping more sustainable and self-determined food futures across the Pacific.
The event will feature a live expert panel discussion, audience Q&A, and break-out group discussions.
The expert panel
Guest speakers included:
Margaret Fox, Gender and Human Rights Adviser, Green Climate Fund Regional Tuna Programme, Fisheries Aquaculture, Marine Ecosystems (FAME) Division, Pacific Community (SPC), Fiji
Professor Palatasa (Tasa) Havea, Scientist, academic, Dean Pacific – Massey University, Tonga
Pitakia Tikai, Program Manager, Kaston Gaden Association, Solomon Islands
Event details
Date: 25 August 2026
Time: 12.00pm – 2.00pm AEST
Location: Online, via Zoom