For generations, fresh food farming has supported Fijian livelihoods and nutritional wellbeing. However, a new approach is essential to respond to evolving lifestyles in a changing climate. The FFT Approach The Family Farm Teams (FFT) is an approach developed by Professor Barbara Pamphilon at the University of Canberra to address gender equity in the male-dominated agriculture sector. FFT is integrated into the Gender, Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) work of the Australian and New Zealand-funded Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) program. The FFT farming approach also empowers subsistence farms to shift to semi-commercial farming by planning, growing, and thriving together as a family unit.. Through talanoa, the family creates farm plans. The plan includes cultivating crops, raising livestock, and other value-added opportunities connected to each family’s socio-economic goals. A critical aim of the plan is prioritising the family’s food and nutritional security. The FFT training equips families with the knowledge to grow nutrient-rich crops, ensuring food security through strategic planning. PHAMA Plus brought in Professor Pamphilon to train farmers and partners in FFT, which helps to integrate GEDSI values into agriculture. Farming with Purpose In Navunisole village in Fiji’s Tailevu Province, the wife-and-husband Elesi Mila and Aleveo Basaga farmed kava as a cash crop. They relied solely on wild forest ferns and taro leaves for fresh food. After attending a FFT training in the village in 2022, supported by the PHAMA Plus program, they transitioned to cultivating various vegetables, staggered their harvests, and established chicken and cattle farms. These diverse crops also reduced vulnerability to cyclones. “Now we have cabbages, eggplants, cucumbers, beans, pineapples, free-range chicken, eggs, and beef for food and cash,” Mila said. “The weather is changing a lot, too, and planting crops can become challenging with too much rain or sun. Having a diversity of fresh food options to choose from is essential.” “It’s been an exciting, fulfilling journey of change…we feel more secure about the future as we age. We don’t have to worry about food or money.” Mapping and matching crops with goals such as building a house and enrolling their children in higher education programs strategically shifts farmers’ focus from daily tasks to prosperity. FFT transforms farming into a forward-thinking enterprise by incorporating financial literacy into farm management. Enterprise through FFT Usitino Rasila from Delasui village in Tailevu established a poultry manure business after attending FFT training. “I wanted to increase my income from yaqona (kava), which takes years to harvest. The training opened my eyes,” he said. “Now, my poultry manure bags sell quickly. Farmers believe it’s good for vegetables. If I manage my finances well, I’ll be in this business for a long time.” Fanny Fiteli, owner of Mama’s Mushrooms, credits FFT’s business-oriented approach for helping her build stronger family teams and apply sustainable farming practices. As a result, 17 women-led enterprises now produce nutritious mushrooms for Fiji’s retail and restaurant markets. Similarly, Asinate Mow, a participant from Navunisole village, expanded her vegetable production after FFT training and encouraged local women groups to explore commercial farming, reinforcing the program’s role in strengthening economic resilience for women. Securing the future of fresh food Attracting youth and engaging families are key to securing agriculture’s future. For FFT trainee Atrul Nisha, this mission is personal. A winner of Fiji’s Women in Apiculture Award 2025, she runs Taveuni’s largest bee farm and is passing her knowledge on to her son. “We must nurture our children and show them that farming can be a good life,” Nisha said. FFT is more than a training model. It’s a catalyst for nutrition resilience, prosperity and lasting change.