Partners in Community Development Working to empower communities by assisting them to make informed decisions for their future development RA KAKA BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

www.pcdf.org.fj

July - Aug 2014 Issue 3/2014 IN THIS ISSUE SUSTAINABLE LAND USE TRAINING [1] SUSTAINABLE LAND USE FOR BATIKI ISLAND TRAINING FOR BATIKI ISLAND

[2] SOIL TESTING DONE FOR BATIKI

[3] VILLAGERS EAGER FOR By Paradise Tabucala POST-HARVEST TRAINING “....the workshop has motivated me to begin my own [4] DEPARTMENT OF backyard vegetable garden...” FISHERIES ASSIST PCDF Participants of the Land Use Training of most outer islands where the [4] SEA CUCUMBER AT wareness has increased for shoreline and fringes are usually THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION Acommunities from the four covered by sporadic forests and BIOLOGY villages on Batiki Island regarding coconut plantations. In order to climate change and the adaptation protect and manage their natural [5] COMMUNITY MEMBERS measures to reduce the negative resources, the district has banned HELPED THROUGH WASH effects of climate change on the technique of slash and burn TRAINING their land based food production activity for the last 7 years. systems. This follows a two day Together with this, each of the [6] SIGATOKA GETS 17 NEW workshop undertaken by Partners four villages have imposed a tabu FISHWARDENS in Community Development Fiji or traditional no take zone in their addressing climate change and Qoliqoli for the last 3 years in their [7] MORE HELP FOR PHVA food security. effort to replenish their fi sheries. PROJECT FARMERS [8] PARD PROJECT HELPS Batiki is a small island community The workshop called “Land Use VILLAGER START located in the Lomaiviti Management Training” also BUSINESS archipelago on eastern side of had offi cials from Government Fiji’s largest island . with representatives from four [8][]PCDF SOCIAL PAGE Batiki has four villages, , Governmental ministries - the Yavu, Manuku and Mua and has Department of Lands, Primary a total land area of 12 square Industries – Agriculture as well kilometers and is surrounded by as Department of Forestry and fringing and barrier reefs. The the Bio Security Authority of island vegetation is similar to that continued on page 2... RARA KAKA KakaKa is Kadavu for parrot. Kadavu Province is the home of the beautifulbe shining parrot, ‘prosopeia splendens’, an endemic species.sp The Kaka is a messenger not only on land but also on sea - it serves as a communicator for God’s living creatures. RA KAKA JUNE 2014 ...continued from page 1 Fiji present. It was aimed at introducing adaptive measures to reduce the negative effects of climate change on their land based food production systems. Prior to this two day workshop, a land capability assessment for Batiki was undertaken by the Department of Lands which included a physical assessment of the land where farming activities were undertaken.

The participants learnt that they needed to protect the top Land Use training in Manuku Village, Batiki Island layer of soil which was used for also highlighted that in 2009, the his future and his children’s lives. farming. This top layer has the cost of damage due to natural highest concentration of organic disasters stood at 75 million The participants also underwent matter and is where most of dollars in all sectors. He explained climate change awareness by Earth’s soil activity occurs such as that at times, development is PCDF project Offi cer, Ilisoni planting. Poor farming methods undertaken with little concern to Tuinasavusavu. The workshop and burning has seen this layer the natural surroundings. Lekima was funded by two projects weathered which in turn means also carried out a demonstration undertaken by PCDF namely low nutritional value for crops as showing participants how to plant the Community Based Marine the soil starts to get acidic. Yasi seeds and what plants are Management and Climate best planted next to a Yasi tree to Change Impact Preparedness Forest Guard, Lekima Bose complement its growth. and Sustainable response to spoke on Sustainable Forest Food Security in remote rural Fiji Management addressing the need Fifty-three year old Timoci projects. to have indigenous trees present to Ravaga who is a full time farmer hold the soil, prevent soil erosion and father of seven says that and at the same time ensure that the knowledge gained from this there was a balance in the eco workshop was priceless, adding system. In his presentation, he that the enlightenment ensured DEMO PLOTS FOR BATIKI

By Paradise Tabucala eople living in the four villages Pon the island of Batiki are now better equipped with the knowledge and skills to ensure the longevity of their farm produce following a workshop, survey and demo plots - thanks to two projects implemented by PCDF. Agriculture Offi cers with villagers doing a Demo Plot. Photo by Ilisoni Tuinasavusavu The projects namely “Community Through this collaboration, a Land Use Unit. Based Marine Management Capability Assessment was done and Climate Change Impact to determine the island’s soil The islanders were taught the Preparedness” & “Sustainable type after which an Awareness importance of soil conservation Response to Food Security in Workshop was carried out. through the planting of Vetiver remote rural Fiji” collaborated Following this, three Demo plots grass and also shown that due with Government agencies – Bio were initiated and a nursery was to their soil type, pineapple Security Authority of Fiji and built by the offi cials from the was a crop suitable for Batiki. the Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Department’s Land Fisheries & Forestry.

2 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 VILLAGERS EAGER FOR POST-HARVEST TRAINING

By Paradise Tabucala A 2012 scoping study, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), found that a high proportion of Divers with fresh sea cucumbers in Vanua Balavu fi shers in Tonga, Kiribati and Fiji improperly cut their sea see and hear, and to be trained cucumbers, undercooked or The processing methods currently on how to processes it’s really overcooked them, burnt them undertaken which affects pricing a good initiative for fi shers by drying them over a fi re, includes the optimal place on nowadays” says 75 years old, and were unaware of proper the body to cut each species for Paula Vakaloloma of Avea island salting and drying methods. gutting, number of days to salt the in Vanua Balavu. Prices received by fi shers animals and how much salt to use, from exporters varied by up to water temperature for cooking The remoteness of many island four times within and among and optimal cooking duration for communities that harvest and the countries surveyed, due each species, practices for smoke- processing sea cucumber will be largely to differences in curing, new techniques for drying a challenge for the project. Broad processing quality. the product, and how to store the adoption of the technology will need animals for trade. fi sher-to-fi sher dissemination of s a result of the study, the processing methods, which Awhich concluded that “I was fi shing and processing is expected to occur naturally. postharvest support would have sea cucumbers for more than Improving incomes will also rely a substantial impact on fi shers’ 20 years, I haven’t come across on competitiveness in the local incomes, Partners in Community any dedicated training on how supply chains so that fi shers can Development Fiji (PCDF) has to processes sea cucumbers into attract higher prices from local been funded by ACIAR through a quality beche-de-mer. I only buyers for higher quality sea collaboration with Southern learn processing from what I cucumbers. Cross University to implement a four-year project in Fiji, starting in January 2014. The project will work to provide information to fi shers, by way of a village- level manual and training DVDs translated into local languages, and village-based workshops to train fi shers in best practices for processing sea cucumbers into high quality beche-de-mer.

“Through my 5 years’ experience of processing sea cucumbers, I haven’t come across any book or manual that clearly shows the best practices for processing sea cucumbers. I do processing from what I see and learn. The upcoming processing training will be a bonus for a processor like me, because I usually heard that if we process we will get good money” says a village based processor from Narocivo village in PCDF Offi cer Sailasa Taqica conducting a survey Vanua Balavu. 3 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES ASSIST IN POST HARVESTING OF SEA CUCUMBER

The “Evaluating the impacts of improving post-harvest processing of sea cucumbers in the western pacifi c region” Project has received backing from the Department of Fisheries following the handover of 500 project manuals earlier this month..

By Paradise Tabucala

he Project implemented in TFiji by Partners in Community Director Fisheries Suresh Chand (middle) with the Training Manual Development Fiji (PCDF) is aimed at improving the income of village provide step by step guide on an auction fl oor can then called fi shers in Fiji through support how to process sea cucumber for where farmers will be able to and to also improve the quality for export or sale, will allow the benefi t from their hard labour. of post-harvest processing of fi shers to earn more. He adds that sea cucumbers into beche-de- at the moment, the middlemen The Fisheries Offi cers at the mer. The project sites are spread take the sea cucumbers raw and District and village level assist out over Fiji in Bua, Cakaudrove, the fi shers do not get their money ACIAR project Offi cer Watisoni , Kadavu, Lakeba, Oneata, worth. Lalanavanua and Sailasa Tagica by Vanua Balavu, Yasawa and Ra. accompanying them and providing Chand adds that with the manual insight as to which villages are Director Fisheries, Suresh Chand and training, in time to come when engaged in commercial sea says that the manuals which the fi shers have the expertise, cucumber diving.

Sea Cucumber at the Society for Conservation Biology artners in Community Australian Centre for International to also improve the quality of PDevelopment Fiji had the Agricultural Research (ACIAR) post-harvest processing of sea opportunity to highlight the work funded project, “Evaluating the cucumbers into beche-de-mer.. undertaken in the fi eld of post impacts of improving post-harvest The project sites are spread out harvesting sea cucumbers to a processing of sea cucumbers in over Fiji in Bua, Cakaudrove, global community of conservation the western pacifi c region” under Taveuni, Kadavu, Lakeba, professionals during the Society the workshop theme: “Working Oneata, Vanua Balavu, Yasawa for Conservation Biology (SCB) to implement more effective sea and Ra. Conference in Fiji. cucumber fi sheries management in Pacifi c Islands” . Following his presentation with This year’s conference was other presentations and various organized by the University PCDF was represented by Project discussions, there were seven of the South Pacifi c (USP) Offi cer Ilisoni Tuinasavusavu and outcome resolutions that came and the Wildlife Conservation Watisoni Lalavanua who spoke on out which were incorporated Society (WCS) and Partners the work being undertaken by the into the discussion at the high- in Community Development project team. The project is aimed level Beche-de-mer and future Fiji (PCDF) was given an at improving the income of village of coastal fi sheries summit in opportunity to present the fi shers in Fiji through support and Nadi.

4 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 OVER 1,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HELPED THROUGH WASH TRAINING

By Paradise Tabucala

ver 1,100 people living in two Oprovinces of Ra and Bua in Fiji are being helped to increase their managerial and technical capacity for operating and maintaining their water and waste systems through a Water Safety Planning project implemented by Partners in Community Development Fiji.

The World Health Organisation and UNICEF in their Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, released in early 2013 Water sampling being done in Yavu village in Batiki. showed that 36% of the world’s Photo by Paradise Tabucala population – 2.5 billion people – and rural communities of Fiji. heartening to see the changes lack improved sanitation facilities The project called Water Safety being undertaken by the villagers while 768 million people still use Planning in Rural Fiji is funded by utilizing their own resources and unsafe drinking water sources. the World Health Organisation and initiative. Singleton says that at Inadequate access to safe water is implemented in two provinces Nakorovou in the Ra Province, the and sanitation services, coupled in the country, assisting three water committee has begun to with poor hygiene practices, villages of Naviqiri, Nasau and replace old and poorly functioning kills and sickens thousands of Naivaka in the Bua province and fl ush toilets with their own children every day, and leads to two villages in the Ra province, resources and have reported a impoverishment and diminished namely Narikoso and Nakorovou. decrease in the number of dengue opportunities for thousands more. cases in the village. The villagers Traditionally these development The Project assists villagers have also fenced off their water issues have been approached by training them on Water, source. In Naviqiri in Bua, the by providing infrastructure Sanitation and Hygiene or the villagers have implemented a such as water tanks and toilets WASH component which looks at water key system to improve to communities. Although an safeguarding drinking water and water management and turn of important part of the solution, improving hygiene, mapping out their system at night to save water development professionals are the areas of the water system from leaks and shut off houses increasingly understanding the undergoing Good Governance and that leave taps running. Since the importance of improving the Gender training and ultimately village implemented this system, capacity of communities to drawing up Water Safety Plans. their village water tank has not run manage their own water and The plans are linked to ongoing low. Although in the early stages of waste systems, enhancing their management actions which the program, it is encouraging to resilience. Water Safety Planning the communities are evaluated see the community being so pro- has been identifi ed as a very against at a later date. active in how they manage one of effective method of doing this. their most important resources; Project Offi cer, Roger Singleton and ultimately is key to ensuring This has seen WASH project work highlighted that during their sustainability within development focusing on increasing community monitoring survey to evaluate interventions. management capacity being how well the communities are now implemented by PCDF in remote managing their systems, it was 5 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 SIGATOKA GETS 17 NEW FISHWARDENS

By Paradise Tabucala Sigatoka Town has been equipped with 17 new fi sh wardens thanks to a training held in partnership with the Fisheries Department and Partners in Community Development Fiji.

he week long training was Theld last month in the village of Nayawa after a request from the Turaga na Tui Madudu, Ratu Isikeli Tasere. This saw Partners in Community Development Fiji (PCDF) mobilise and rope New Fish Wardens for the District of Nasigatoka. in the services of the Fisheries Photo by Saula Domokamica Department. four main villages along the and collaboratively managed Sigatoka river, namely Nayawa, by PCDF and the Australian Under the Fiji’s Fisheries Act Cap Laselase, Yavulo and Nasama Foundation for the Peoples of Asia 158, fi sh wardens are appointed Vunavutu. Also as part of the and the Pacifi c Limited (AFAP). to monitor and detect any warden training the participants PCDF is a strategic partner of AFAP contravention of the Fiji Fisheries also planted 3, 000 mangrove with whom they share a long term legislation and to enforce the seedlings in two places – at the commitment to implementing law on those caught breaching mouth of the Sigatoka River and development projects in Fiji. Both the law. They monitor and cover also in Korotogo. PCDF and AFAP are also active their “i-qoliqoli” or fi shing grounds members of the Foundation for and to ensure that there is no Speaking to PCDF, Vakili says the the South Pacifi c International poaching. training has had an impact on the (FSPI) network”. participants as they mobilised Participant and Nayawa villager, themselves to monitor and replant 55 year old Peni Vakili says the the mangrove damaged by waves. workshop was an eye opener They have also scheduled a time for the 17 men. Speaking in the during their individual Bose va vernacular language, Vakili had koro (village meetings) to sit down this to say, “Vei au mada ga, sa and talk about what they learnt at dua na itavi levu a sa mai colata the workshop and to also speak meu taqomaka na neitou yau bula. on their role as fi sh wardens. E varaitaka vei keitou na bibi ni taqomaki na veika e soli vei keda, The Fish Warden training was na veika oqo e na kalougata oir carried out by the “Strengthening na luvei keitou” which translated Community Leadership for reads “ for me personally this is inclusive participation in reducing a big responsibility in protecting vulnerability to climatic change and ensuring sustainability of our in Fiji.” The project is funded by natural resources as it is for our the Australian Government’s future generations.” Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Australian Planting mangroves near the NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) Sigatoka River mouth. The participants were from the Photo by Paradise Tabucala 6 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 MORE HELP FOR PHVA PROJECT FARMERS

By Paradise Tabucala

ith the targeted number Wof participants surpassed, the Partnership in High Value Agriculture Project is making waves in Fiji with 268 farmers now undergoing training to tap into niche markets.

The Partnership in High Value Agriculture (PHVA) project fi rst started with just over 178 farmers in August 2013 and has 268 farmers to date. PHVA implementing body – Partners PCDF’s Sulia Golea in the PHVA Project’s Nursery in Community Development (PCDF) undertook the project Under the PHVA project, the Apart from this, PCDF is assisting in conjunction with IFAD or the farmers have just completed 7 the farmers by building three International Fund for Agriculture sets of 1 day training where they nurseries. The main nursery Development. went through fi nancial literacy where seedlings are being grown training, budgeting and setting up is at Lewa village in the District The Project is funded by small businesses. The participants of Savatu in the Ba Province. International Fund for Agriculture were also given “The Business There are two other nurseries Development (IFAD) and is Record Book”- a record keeping being built in Nadrau and Koro implemented in Fiji by PCDF with guide which would assist users villages. Project manager and the Fijian Government through the in recording their costs/expenses PCDF Executive Director says,this Department of Agriculture playing as well as their profi ts on a daily is being done to ensure that the an advisory role. basis. farmers have a source of seedlings closer to home. The PHVA project is based in an area of 3 highland Districts which lies on the border of the Provinces of Navosa, Ba and Naitasiri. The communities in these target areas are full time small holder farmers and initial surveys done by the IFAD and the Fijian Government showed that there was a high level of poverty.

The project is of the rationale that the smallholder farmer has good resource potential and the ability to produce marketable surpluses that would increase their income and reduce poverty but they are not often able to maximize this potential. PCDF’s Executive Director Tevita Ravumaidama in a PHVA project site

7 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 PARD PROJECT HELPS VILLAGER PCDF SOCIAL START BUSINESS COLUMNS

REGUREGU FOR THE LATE ARCHBISHOP PCDF joined thousands in the country to pay their last respects to the Late Archbishop Emeritus Petero Mataca who passed away at the Suva Private Hospital after a long illness on 30th June 2014. Since our humble beginning over 30 years ago, the Late Archbishop Emeritus had been instrumental in our work and has also acted as PCDF Patron.

Asepepeli Navotayali in his new shop. Photo by Roger Singleton

there have been various success stories with the most prominent one being 46 year old Asipepeli By Paradise Tabucala Navotayali of Narikoso village in Ra who after the training opened his program focussing on own village canteen. Navotayali A providing community was one of the 47 participants members with the appropriate at the weeklong PARD training management skill set to catalyse in May this year, in Narikoso in village level development through the Province of Ra. A follow up the Pro Active Rural Development by PCDF showed that Navotayali Project has seen three villagers had invested his savings, bought in Ra start their very own small groceries and built his own small business. shop, and now runs his canteen.

The Pro Active Rural Development Another success story is that of (PARD) Project which is an Donasio Macedriu from Veidrala Australian Aid Initiative is being village in Navitilevu, Ra who implemented in Fiji by Partners has started his own virgin oil in Community Development Fiji production at home whilst fellow (PCDF) sees participants undergo PARD training participant, Sio trainings such as fi nancial literacy, Vumaibuke now makes his own budgeting, development planning coconut oil and coconut body as well as market identifi cation soap. and access evaluation. The PARD project is implemented in The PARD project is aimed at seventeen villages in the two providing capacity so that the provinces of Bua and Ra and community can increase their assists 848 households in total. management skills to pro-actively address their own development Project Offi cer, Talica Anderson needs through community says as a result of the trainings participatory processes.

8 RA KAKA JUNE 2014

STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS STAFF INTERNAL Congratulations to Adi Tiriseyani TRAINING Daucakacaka Naulivou who As part of internal development, graduated from the University the staff of PCDF are undertaking of Melbourne with a Masters of Planning, Monitoring and Development Studies. Tiri as she Evaluation (PME) training along is fondly known joined PCDF in with Proposal writing exercises. 2008 as a Youth and Mental Health The training is being conducted Training and meeting Coordinator. by Development and Capacity Building Coordinator, Roger venue for hire! Singleton. Located only footsteps from town, on Denison Road, the Vunimaqo Deck is the ideal training and meeting venue.

The deck can accommodate up to 50 delegates and equip- ment for meetings and catering are available upon request. HIBISCUS FESTIVAL For more information please BOOTH contact our Offi ce Manager Joining hands in raising awareness on Tel.: 330 0392, or send an on Climate Change, PCDF joined email to: [email protected] the 2014 Hibiscus Committee and had a booth at the yearly event. With the theme, Climate Change affects us all; PCDF also pitched in as a few projects also focused on climate change.

Studies show that: - 1.1 BILLION PEOPLE IN THE CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN WORLD DO NOT HAVE ACCESS In a team building event, PCDF TO SAFE WATER, THIS IS staff dedicated their Wednesday ROUGHLY ONE SIXTH OF THE and Saturday to cleaning up the WORLDS POPULATION offi ce. - 2.6 BILLION PEOPLE DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE SANITATION; THAT IS TWO FIFTHS OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION

PublishedP by PCDF 8 Denison Road, P.O.Box 14447 Suva, Fiji PPhPh.:.: (6(679) 3300392 FaFax:x ((679) 3304315 Editor: Paradise Tabucala Website: www.pcdf.org.fj www.facebook.com/pcdfi ji To join our mailing list, please email [email protected]

For general enquiries please email [email protected]

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