Agroecological tourism: bridging conservation, food security and tourism goals to enhance smallholders’ livelihoods on South Pentecost, Vanuatu

ABSTRACT

Smallholder farmers continue to make up the largest proportion of the world's disadvantaged. Rural smallholders in the South Pacific are particularly vulnerable to climate change, underinvestment and growing competition for land and resources. Strengthening synergies between agriculture and tourism through avenues such as agritourism has been widely discussed; however, very little research has approached these concepts from a sustainability perspective. This case study of rural Ni-Vanuatu smallholders uses the Agroecology and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Framework (ASRLF) to explore tourism's potential contribution to improved conservation and food security outcomes. Data collection combined participatory methods such as “storian sessions” with analysis of secondary data.

The findings highlight minimal current opportunities for rural Ni-Vanuatu smallholders to gain significantly from the tourism sector in Vanuatu. The shift from traditional gardening systems to cash cropping monocultures is also conflicting with tourism and conservation goals. This paper puts forward agroecological tourism as a strategy for integrating positive conservation, food security and livelihood outcomes for rural smallholders. It defines agroecological tourism as having a primary focus on the interpretation of sustainable traditional agroecosystems which exhibit cultural and heritage significance. Agroecological tourism has potential to support traditional practices, enhance the preservation of cultural knowledge and promote sustainable farming practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Agritourism
• ecotourism
• agroecology
• livelihoods
• resilience

Acknowledgments

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this paper do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The authors would like to thank all of the Ni-Vanuatu participants and research assistants who willingly provided their time to contribute valuable information to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations [grant number GCP/RAS/262/GFF] and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research [grant number FST/2014/067].

Notes on contributors

Cherise Addinsall

Cherise Addinsall is a PhD candidate in the School of Business and Tourism and a social researcher for the School of Environment, Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia. With a background in the environmental and social sciences, Cherise's interest areas are in linking environmental best practice with improving livelihoods, particularly marginalised populations in rural areas. Previous and current research projects include agroecology and sustainable livelihoods options, sociocultural aspects of rural livelihoods in island cultures, enhancing the livelihoods of women and marginalised people in the Pacific, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Pay for Environmental Services (PES) (with particular focus on the tourism sector) and sustainable tourism development.

Betty Weiler

Prof. Betty Weiler holds a PhD from the University of Victoria (Canada) and is Professor and Director of Research in the School of Business and Tourism at Southern Cross University (Australia). Her 150+ publications, many in top-tier international tourism research journals, have centred on sustainable tourism and the tourist experience, and she is one of the world's leading scholars on the role of the tour guide. Within Australia, Betty is particularly well known for her contribution to visitor management and communication in protected areas, zoos and heritage attractions, and more recently on research aimed at influencing visitors’ onsite and post-visit behaviours.

Pascal Scherrer

Dr Pascal Scherrer is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Tourism at Southern Cross University (Australia). As a social scientist with a background in environmental science and ecotourism, Pascal's main research interest is in using tourism to achieve socially, culturally, environmentally and economically sustainable development which contributes to improved community livelihoods, particularly in regional and remote areas. He was awarded the Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Community Engagement in 2014 for facilitating evidence-based protected area management through community-engaged research.

Kevin Glencross

Dr Kevin Glencross has been actively involved in the research and development of integrated tree cropping and replanting of ecosystems for over 15 years. Kevin has particular expertise in carbon sequestration, biodiversity, food systems and mixed species forest management. He is also involved in research and development programmes in Australia, China and the Pacific region specialising in reforestation, catchment management, carbon sequestration and restoration of complex ecosystems. Kevin is actively involved in livelihood projects in rural areas, including agroforestry systems and managing, designing and supervising a very large forest ecosystem restoration projects for community-based groups, government agencies and industry.