PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 6:06 PM by Luigi

KGA food workshop creates economic opportunities in rural villages

Press release: Honiara, 29.7.05

Turning banana and taro into tasty snacks and local fruits into jams and syrups could help Solomon Islanders in isolated rural areas boost their incomes. This was the aim of a food processing workshop held by Kastom Gaden Association in Makira last week (18-25 July).

Around 30 of Kastom Gaden’s Planting Material Network (PMN) members, community groups and interested individuals from remote regions of Makira, Malaita and Guadalcanal gathered in Kirakira for the AusAID funded programme.

Many of the participants receive little or no regular income because they live so far from provincial capitals and good transport links. The workshop showed how home grown foods can be made into attractive, added value products that can help boost cash flows. The course is part of a KGA programme for sustainable livelihoods in rural areas.

Food scientist Dr Richard Beyer from Fiji, who is running a series of food processing workshops with Kastom Gaden, showed attendees how to make attractive products that will not go bad quickly during transport and storage. These included jams, marmalades, cordials, syrup and chutney made from local fruits, as well as banana and taro chips and fried peanuts.

The course also covered how to develop systems for buying and borrowing processing equipment and packaging and how to price and market products.

Claudine Watoto, KGA project manager said: “This workshop proves there is a big opportunity for rural people to sell their products to the wider market. Our vision is to reduce the reliance on imported goods with community made added value products.”

KGA is now helping the workshop participants to set up village-based micro-businesses. It is also creating links with shipping agents, retail outlets and packaging companies in Honiara. KGA would like to hear from retailers that are interested in these products or anyone who can contribute empty glass jars. If you can help please call KGA on 39551.

For more press information contact Louise Hunt on 39551 or

kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb.



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Box 1828 Boroko National Capital District Papua New Guinea Tel: (675) 3235511 Fax: (675) 3234733 Email: kambuou@global.net.pg Ms Laisene Samuelu Principal Crop Development Officer Crops Division Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries & Meteorology P.O. Box 1874 Apia Samoa Tel: (685) 23416-20605 Fax: (685) 20607-23996 Email: lsamuelu@lesamoa.net Mr Jimi Saelea Director of Research Department of Agriculture and Livestock P.O. Box G13 Honiara Guadalcanal Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 27987 Mr Tony Jansen Planting Materials Network Kastom Gaden Association Burns Creek, Honiara P.O. Box 742 Honiara Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 39551 Email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb Mr Finao Pole Head of Research Ministry of Agriculture & Forests P.O. 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DIVA-GIS	Sunday, July 31, 2005 Posted 6:06 PM by Luigi KGA food workshop creates economic opportunities in rural villages Press release: Honiara, 29.7.05 Turning banana and taro into tasty snacks and local fruits into jams and syrups could help Solomon Islanders in isolated rural areas boost their incomes. This was the aim of a food processing workshop held by Kastom Gaden Association in Makira last week (18-25 July). Around 30 of Kastom Gaden’s Planting Material Network (PMN) members, community groups and interested individuals from remote regions of Makira, Malaita and Guadalcanal gathered in Kirakira for the AusAID funded programme. Many of the participants receive little or no regular income because they live so far from provincial capitals and good transport links. The workshop showed how home grown foods can be made into attractive, added value products that can help boost cash flows. The course is part of a KGA programme for sustainable livelihoods in rural areas. Food scientist Dr Richard Beyer from Fiji, who is running a series of food processing workshops with Kastom Gaden, showed attendees how to make attractive products that will not go bad quickly during transport and storage. These included jams, marmalades, cordials, syrup and chutney made from local fruits, as well as banana and taro chips and fried peanuts. The course also covered how to develop systems for buying and borrowing processing equipment and packaging and how to price and market products. Claudine Watoto, KGA project manager said: “This workshop proves there is a big opportunity for rural people to sell their products to the wider market. Our vision is to reduce the reliance on imported goods with community made added value products.” KGA is now helping the workshop participants to set up village-based micro-businesses. It is also creating links with shipping agents, retail outlets and packaging companies in Honiara. KGA would like to hear from retailers that are interested in these products or anyone who can contribute empty glass jars. If you can help please call KGA on 39551. For more press information contact Louise Hunt on 39551 or kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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