Five hundred families that were impacted by Tropical Cyclone Yasa in the Northern Division and dealt with an additional blow via COVID19, are adapting well, thanks to a timely sustainable food-security initiative.
The response initiated by the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) in the aftermath of YC Yasa addressing food security and sustainable livelihood enabled the families from 15 communities in Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata to grow their own food in a manner that incorporates climate-smart agriculture, thus beef up their resilience to the changing weather.
Through the training the farmers are taught best agriculture practices that adapt to the effects of climate change, ensuring that they have a sustainable food supply grown in a manner that also mitigates the effects of climate change.
The farmers also received agricultural kits and raised seedlings to support their livelihood.
“We are already benefiting from the training conducted. The agricultural kits helped us to restart our lives after the cyclone and gave us encouragement to toil the land for our livelihood. We do not worry about our food supplies anymore as we are enjoying harvesting fresh vegetables from our farms – thanks to the training and kits received,” Viliame Naibono of Nabavatu village said in a SHP statement.
The intervention was facilitated by Live and Learn Fiji. Live and Learn Food Security Coordinator Ponijese Korovulavula acknowledged the collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture in its success particularly the additional protection and resilience that communities acquire through the program/
The AHP is a five year partnership between the Australian Government, six Australian NGOs and their Fijian partners. The Fiji AHP has four major consortium with 26 members. The Fiji AHP is currently on its third year and is led by Plan International Australia.
