Tag Archives: Marshall Islands

According to allcountrylist, the Marshall Islands is an island country located in the Pacific Ocean, near the equator and between Hawaii and Australia. The country has a small, open economy with services and tourism being the main economic activities. Services account for around 70% of GDP while tourism contributes around 20%. Agriculture is an important sector in the Marshall Islands with coconuts being the most widely grown crop followed by taro, breadfruit, bananas and yams. Livestock is also an important activity with poultry being the most widely produced followed by pork and beef. The majority of agricultural produce is consumed domestically while some products are exported to other countries for sale on international markets. Fishing is also a major sector in the Marshall Islands with tuna being the most important species caught followed by marlin, mahi-mahi and wahoo. Manufacturing is a relatively small contributor to GDP with food processing being the most important industry followed by textiles production, construction materials production and electronics production. Agriculture has been a key part of the Marshall Islands’ culture and economy for centuries. Traditional farming practices were the main source of food production for the islands’ inhabitants, with crops such as breadfruit, coconut, bananas and taro being grown along with some limited livestock rearing. These early farmers would have used simple tools and techniques such as slash-and-burn agriculture to cultivate their land. The introduction of modern agricultural methods began in the late 19th century with the arrival of German colonists who introduced sophisticated irrigation systems, fertilizer use and mechanization which helped to increase yields from limited land available for cultivation in the Marshall Islands. In addition to this, they also brought with them a variety of new crops such as sugar cane which provided an important source of income for many farmers. Today, agriculture still plays an important role in the Marshall Islands’ economy with around 10% of its population living off it. It is responsible for around 5% of GDP but is largely subsistence-based with smallholder farmers producing crops such as breadfruit, coconuts and taro primarily for their own consumption. In addition to this there is some livestock farming on a small scale with pigs occupying a significant proportion of land area. In recent years there has been increased emphasis on diversifying agricultural production in order to ensure food security for the country’s growing population while also providing sustainable income opportunities for farmers. Efforts are being made to reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture by introducing irrigation systems as well as new technologies such as mechanization which can help increase yields from fewer resources. There is also increasing focus on agroforestry initiatives which combine traditional tree crops with short-term cash crops helping to maintain soil fertility while also generating income for farmers. See smber for Marshall Islands Agriculture and Fishing.