PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 11:12 PM by Luigi

Nauru Keen To Relearn Food Gardening

Pacific Magazine, Tuesday: December 6, 2005

The Food and Agriculture Organisation says it is getting a very good response as it encourages Nauruans to start growing their own food.

Agriculture on the island has been largely ignored over the past two generations with the people relying on imported food.

With the collapse of the economy that is no longer possible, and food security, through the fostering of local agriculture, was part of a sustainable development strategy presented to aid donors last week.

Manase Felemi, of the FAO, says the organisation’s been developing gardening skills with an emphasis on community plots, and this has been widely appreciated on the island.

“What we have found is that a lot of the people who come to the group training at the community level - not only have they participated in the preparation of the community plot, but they have gone back home and started preparing their own plots - making preparations to plant their own small gardens in the backyard, which is a very positive development in this project and it’s a very encouraging sign.”

Reported By RNZI

* Comments:

I was just in Nauru - and was rather disappointed to find out that many of the people who have expressed interest in growing foods have picked non-indigenous and quite high-maintenance crops such as lettuce and cucumber - and also fairly low nutrient density.

Wendy

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:21 PM



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DIVA-GIS	Thursday, December 08, 2005 Posted 11:12 PM by Luigi Nauru Keen To Relearn Food Gardening Pacific Magazine, Tuesday: December 6, 2005 The Food and Agriculture Organisation says it is getting a very good response as it encourages Nauruans to start growing their own food. Agriculture on the island has been largely ignored over the past two generations with the people relying on imported food. With the collapse of the economy that is no longer possible, and food security, through the fostering of local agriculture, was part of a sustainable development strategy presented to aid donors last week. Manase Felemi, of the FAO, says the organisation’s been developing gardening skills with an emphasis on community plots, and this has been widely appreciated on the island. “What we have found is that a lot of the people who come to the group training at the community level - not only have they participated in the preparation of the community plot, but they have gone back home and started preparing their own plots - making preparations to plant their own small gardens in the backyard, which is a very positive development in this project and it’s a very encouraging sign.” Reported By RNZI * Comments: I was just in Nauru - and was rather disappointed to find out that many of the people who have expressed interest in growing foods have picked non-indigenous and quite high-maintenance crops such as lettuce and cucumber - and also fairly low nutrient density. Wendy # posted by Anonymous : 2:21 PM 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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