A multi-methods analysis to assess the challenges of pineapple cultivation in Moorea and the capability of taro to mitigate impacts on human and environmental health

Resulting from a collaboration between the CRIOBE (Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement), and ChimEco, this article examines the cultural and ecological importance of taro cultivation in the context of a socio-ecological transition on Moorea since the 1950s. The methods used are based on individual, non-directive, participatory surveys in Moorea and the urban area of Faaa (Tahiti) among government agencies, the private and public sectors, the general public, and civil society. These surveys and analyses highlight the controversial nature and sources of tension related to the socio-ecological transition on Moorea. They highlight the lack of negotiation and inclusiveness in the management of the "land-sea continuum" and the contemporary role attributed to taro as a possible solution to the challenges of the transition. Finally, this article discusses the characteristics of the "land-sea continuum" from a Polynesian perspective, with a view to management by the socio-ecosystem, from the mountain to the reef.