There is a need to address the degradation caused by unsustainable smallholder agriculture in Pacifici sland countries, especially on marginal steeply sloping lands, as is the case in Fiji. Like most developing countries, Fiji faces the crucial issue of sustainable management of its scarce land resources. From 1956 to 1991 land use was greatly influenced by: (1) a 200-% increase in land used for agriculture, and (2) a population increase of about 100 percent. More people have turned to the land for their living; this is alarming given Fiji’s small size, topographical harshness and land-ownership realities.In collaboration with IBSRAM, GTZ/SPC, Landcare Research NZ and EU-PRAP, Fiji’s Ministry ofAgriculture, Fisheries and Forests (MAFF) is undertaking development activities with farmers to identify technologies to minimize erosion and agricultural soil degradation. At the PacificLand site,typical soil losses from farmers’ practice plots are 20-50 t/ha/yr whereas losses from plots with contour hedgerows of vetiver and pineapple are under 2 t/ha/yr, i.e. less than 95% of losses from farmers’ plots.From this lesson learned, MAFF is demonstrating SLM through field days, farmer training and PRA activities in areas affected by and prone to erosion and fertility decline. Currently 152 farmers have adopted a low cost SLM “vetiver + cash crop” system with contour plantings of vetiver at the base ofthe garden and cash crops, i.e. pineapple, banana, kava, bele, coconut, citrus and pigeon pea, at 10-20m between rows up the slope. This combination has proved successful especially with low-income rural communities. The effectiveness of the transfer reflects the extent of farmer involvement with flow-on benefits to the farming community through: (i) increased environmental protection, food security, production diversity and economic development; (ii) reduced poverty with greater equity and social cohesion; and (iii) better government policies, institutions better able to manage land resources and a more effective national science, technology and education programme.