French Polynesia

French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific comprising around 118 islands and atolls, has a tropical climate and volcanic soils that are generally unsuitable for large-scale cultivation of temperate crops like potatoes . As a result, there is no significant commercial potato production across the region. Instead, traditional root and tuber crops such as sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and taro are central to the local food system and cultural heritage. Sweet potatoes, well adapted to local conditions, are commonly grown in home gardens, small plots, and communal lands, especially in the Society Islands (including Tahiti and Moorea), the Marquesas, and the Austral Islands, with production primarily serving local consumption.

Supporting these agricultural practices, the Institut de la Recherche Agronomique (IRA) de Polynésie française serves as the region’s primary agricultural research body, focusing on crop adaptation, varietal trials, and the promotion of sustainable farming systems tailored to the islands’ unique agroecological conditions.