Runte Likiafu | Tonga

Runte Likiafu has a background in agriculture, agroforestry, horticulture and forestry, with over 20 years public sector experience. She manages the portfolio of Skills, Climate Change and Private Sector (including Agriculture) Development for the Australian High Commission, Tonga. Runte is a member of the Marketing Access Working Group on Tonga commercial exports and also the DFAT Food & Livelihood cluster group which provides updates on food safety and security situation reports in times of disasters.

Her experience includes work with the UN FAO program in Vanuatu and the Ministery of Forestry and Agriculture, Tonga. In 2013 Runte completed a Masters in Crop Science from the University of the South Pacific, Alafua Campus, supported by the ACIAR/USP post graduate assistant scheme. She studied a  Bachelor of Plant Science at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and a Diploma in Forestry at PNG Forestry College, Bulolo, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. 

Runte is keenly interested in carrying out surveys and has conducted household surveys with farmers in Tonga regarding climate change adaptation and agricultural practices. While adept at contract management, proposal development, monitoring and evaluation it is experimental research which really excites her.

Runte is also a  passionate advocate of working together with women in the area of grassroots development activities and a supporter of women farmers, women exporters and women in significant roles across the Agriculture sector. Thrilled to have joined the Meryl Williams Fellowship Runte plans to use the program to further her impact upon gender equity in Agriculture and government.

A horticulture enthusiast, Runte enjoys raising ornamental plants in her home green house, relying upon her professional knowledge of fruit tree propogation for success. She has a small scale poultry farm from which she collects eggs for her family and chicken manure for her gardens.

From the GEAReD blog…