Session 1 training now live for Matuku Island Organic Farming Project.
Suva, Fiji: The Matuku Island Organic Farming Project is now live with Session 1 training having commenced on 1st of August 2016.
On-island awareness workshops were held across the island’s villages to formally introduce the 13-month training program and the Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community’s (POETCom’s) organic certification system.
All communities engaged reacted positively to the Project and the remainder of the 13-month training program that will be delivered over 2016-2017, enabled partially by funding received from the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Environment Office based in Suva.
In addition to initial awareness workshops, VCO production workshops were held for the women’s groups in 2 villages, with a 2nd on-island organic nursery established. Organic production capacity also received a boost with 100kg of organic ginger planting materials distributed across the villages ~ many thanks to the Ranadi Plantation and Kaiming Agro Processing Ltd. for the provision of organic materials.
The organic tissue culture seedlings from the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CePact) planted in the Qalikarua village nursery in April 2016 exceeded expectations. All varieties of banana seedlings were growing well, despite the majority of sweet potato seedlings proving too sensitive to adverse weather conditions faced over the previous 12-months.
Initial on-island project personnel have now been nominated by the communities to begin administering initial organic certification registrations of interested farmers in the lead up to Session 2 training taking place in January 2017.
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