Kiribati has little or no soil, and rainfall is variable, giving only limited opportunities for agricultural development. FAO statistics suggest as much as 36,000 ha under permanent crops however this probably reflects the extent of coconut both planted and naturally occurring and the available copra export figures would indicate that this is an over-estimate of the commercial resource. FAO stats indicate coconut production peaked in 2009 at 163,750 tonnes and then fell sharply to around 50,000 tonnes until at least 2017.
FAO figures also indicate some 2,000 ha of arable land, though by world standards arable land on Kiribati has major limitations for use. There have been recommendations that the agricultural sector could place more emphasis on local food production as a strategy for reducing imports as well as search for specialist foods or products that might contribute as minor exports. Since the mid-1980s exotic food plants capable of growing well under harsh atoll conditions have been investigated on South Tarawa (Bonriki Village) where about 40 smallholder farmers work. Although mixed subsistence-cash cropping of exotic fruits and vegetables is mainly confined to Bonriki (in large part because of the relatively extensive tract of land and low population density on the ocean side next to the airport runway), it shows that, with some effort and organization, atolls need not depend solely on food imports. Local food production alone, including the intensification of traditional agroforestry, will not be capable of supporting current population numbers.
With traditional pulaka pits having been impacted by high salinity and other problems, alternatives such as wicking systems (https://www.aciar.gov.au/publications-and-resources/news/Agricultural-specialists-team-provide-locally-grown-food-solutions) that can range from simple constructions using plastic sheets to modern plastic Food Cubes (https://www.biofilta.com.au/foodcube.html#/) are also being promoted as modern versions of pit agriculture. The results are broadly similar, but the wicking systems are easy, affordable and save water, and only need to add compost after 3 weeks to a month.
Composting is a key component of these systems and research and advice has been carried out to support this type of activity (e.g., https://www.aciar.gov.au/project/SMCN-2014-089) which includes practical recipes and advice around preparation of compost (https://www.aciar.gov.au/media-search/blogs/compost-recipe-gives-pacific-island-countries-a-nutrient-boost).
