Residents of Kilikali Settlement plant seedlings during a workshop as part of the project by Live & Learn on Wednesday.

IVE & Learn Fiji is a non-government organisation that has a strong history of implementing water, sanitation and hygiene projects in our communities. But they have gone a step further to help two settlements in Fiji grow their own food even though they do not own land.

Humbled to be part of the World Food Day and National Agriculture Show at the Vodafone Arena last week, the organisation works in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Fiji by supporting informal settlements in the country.

Demonstrating the purpose and the use of the raised garden bed at the Agriculture show, Live & Learn food security and livelihood coordinator Ponijese Korovulavula said with the support they receive from the Australian Government, they were able to pilot this project into informal settlements as most people living in these communities do not have land ownerships.

Mr Korovulavula said the project is called Atoll Food Futures program and its main concept is to help people living in informal settlements plant, store, grow and keep their plants. It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by Live & Learn.

The project works with community members across three countries (Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu) to improve the production of fresh, locally grown produce. It is designed to empower people to grow fresh healthy produce at home, through skill building, agriculture training and also by sharing indigenous knowledge surrounding home gardening and food preservation.

“We have encouraged communities to plant shallow rooted crops as it doesn’t consume a lot of water and nutrients.

This food cubes doesn’t come in land or farm sizes but people can use it as a source of food security.”

Mr Korovulavula said they are impressed by what most communities have done so far.

“Most people in the communities we’ve introduced the project to have developed an advanced way by planting seeds in the food cubes and later transferring it into other containers,” he said.

According to Mr Korovulavula, informal settlements are the ones that suffered the most from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and this project is something Live & Learn has brought about to help reduce this issue.

“We thank the Australian Government for funding and giving us the opportunity to reach out to these informal settlements, even though they have no land ownership, this concept is a way to help them in the future.”

Mr Korovulavula added for their food cubes concept they’ve supported settlements like Kilikali in Nadawa and Waikerekere outside Lami Town. Live & Learn is committed to work with vulnerable communities to improve food and nutrition security.

Source: Fiji Sun

Date: 03/11/2023