Issued under the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) coinage program, which commissioned member nations to produce circulating pieces carrying agricultural themes as a low-cost vehicle for rural development messaging. Tonga's participation in these FAO issues spans several decades. George Tupou V, who had formally relinquished most of his absolute monarchical powers in 2008 following pro-democracy riots that devastated central Nuku'alofa in 2006, died in March 2012 — making 2011 one of his final regnal years on Tongan coinage.
Issued under the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) coinage program, which commissioned member nations to produce circulating pieces carrying agricultural themes as a low-cost vehicle for rural development messaging. Tonga's participation in these FAO issues spans several decades. George Tupou V, who had formally relinquished most of his absolute monarchical powers in 2008 following pro-democracy riots that devastated central Nuku'alofa in 2006, died in March 2012 — making 2011 one of his final regnal years on Tongan coinage.