Young Farmers: Strengthening the Agricultural Resilience of the Cook Islands to Climate Change
Author: UN Development Programme | Published: January 13, 2017
In Mangaia, the second largest of the Cook Islands, five young leaders are being trained in organic farming practices so that they can supply their local markets, as well as export their crops to the capital island of Rarotonga, alleviating the country’s heavy reliance on foreign imports. Three of the five participants are women, who were not traditionally farmers on Mangaia.
FARMING REVOLUTION
The SRIC-CC Programme is implemented by Climate Change Cook Islands, a division within the Office of the Prime Minister and supported by UNDP. With financial support from the Adaptation Fund (AF), the SRIC-CC Programme and communities in the Pa Enua are addressing environmental risks through community-based approaches and community-driven adaptation.
The Strengthening the Resilience of the Cook Islands to Climate Change Programme (SRIC-CC), is working with more than 150 individuals on community-based resilience initiatives to enhance water and food security across the 11 Pa Enua (outer islands) of the Cook Islands.
FARM TO TABLE, SEED TO MARKET
As part of the SRIC-CC programme managed by William Tuivaga, a Young Farmers’ programme has been established. Under the watchful eyes of SRIC-CC agriculture Young Growers Project Manager Makiroa Beniamina, all five of the young farmers have covered the following in their training: best practices in germinating seeds, nursery management, pest management, fertiliser management, composting, farm management, quality control, marketing and packaging, managing loss and farm administration.
The Young Farmers’ programme is working with Prime Foods Supermarket to sell the produce to their clients on the wholesale market, as well as to restaurants, hotels and retail shops throughout the Cook Islands. This project will provide a more consistent supply of vegetables and other crops, thereby promoting healthy eating and food security on Mangaia, along with an increased supply of locally grown produce in the capital, Rarotonga.