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The global impacts of desertification and land degradation prompted the United Nations Organization to adopt the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994. Tonga acceded to the UNCCD on September 25, 1998 and ratified the Convention in December 24, 1998. Under the UNCCD all parties to the Convention are expected to meet their national and international commitment to implement key activities. This report is the result of the National Capacity self-Assessment to identify and characterize critical capacity constraints relevant to effective environmental management in Tonga, and to develop a plan of action to address these constraints, in a co-ordinated manner to fulfil its obligation under the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

The Tefisi community was concerned of the possible adverse effect of soil being eroded into their coastal environment affecting the marine lives in the areas. In Tefisi, the surface soil is washed away from land development sites, farmland and the settlement areas in every significant rainfall. The fine soil particles flow into the coastal marine environment unchecked, causing the otherwise clear marine environment to become turbid. The outflow of soil not only destroys the ecosystems of the coastal environment, but seriously impacts the local fishery.