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

May - June 2014 Issue 2/2014

IN THIS ISSUE PCDF HELPS NAYAWA WOMEN [1] PCDF HELPS NAYAWA RE-OPEN SHOP WOMEN RE-OPEN SHOP

[2] NRM COMPLETES SURVEY By Paradise Tabucala

[3] CROSS LEARNING AN “…there is no tool for EYE OPENER development more effective than the empowerment of women…” [3] 4CA WINS UN AWARD

hese are the famous words Women of Nayawa Village [4] BLUEPRINT FOR Tof former General Secretary BECHE-DE-MER. to the United Nations, Kofi Annan increase from less than $100 to speaking on empowering women over $2,000. [5] FARMER NOW EARNS and this is true for the women of CLOSE TO $1,000 Nayawa Village in Sigatoka. In 2013, PCDF through its Strengthening Community [6] FARMER NOW THE Through their diligence and Leadership for inclusive VILLAGE MONEY persistence the women of the Participation in reducing LENDER village through the help of a vulnerability to Climatic Change project funded by Australian in Fiji Project undertook business [7] FARMERS NOW ABLE Foundation for teh People of training for the women of Nayawa TO TAKE LOAN Asia and the Pacifi c (AFAP) and and also funded the re-opening implemented in Fiji by Partners of the shop by purchasing over in Community Development Fiji $2,000 worth of groceries. (PCDF) Organization have been able to reopen their own co- The business training was done for operative shop after a lapse of the women of Nayawa Village last two years and have their saving 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 year thanks to the help from the and even grog and farm produce. Centre for Appropriate Technology ‘When it (the shop) opened in These women pay $2.00 a day and Development (CATD). July of last year, there was only and this money goes to a special $80.00 in our bank account but tin which is then used for general Chairwoman of the Nayawa when I checked last week, we duties like hiring a grass cutter. Women’s Committee, Arieta had $2, 334. This is a very big Kunabuli says the shop had been achievement for the shop as the The project is funded by the closed for nearly two years and the two of us had no knowledge at Australian Government’s women were not able to support all on how to handle fi nances. Department of Foreign Affairs their families. At the moment, We only knew how to Dinau, take and Trade (DFAT) through the the shop is proving to be a steady money from customers and give Australian NGO Cooperation source of income for the women’s them the groceries. But now, we Program (ANCP) and group with an average of $80 can stock take, write out orders, collaboratively managed by PCDF worth of sales made in a day from enter inventories and even enter and the Australian Foundation a village of about 75 households. fi nancial ledgers. I am confi dent for the Peoples of Asia and the to say that in future I can open Pacifi c Limited (AFAP). PCDF is Paulini Siganisucu who is a single my own shop all thanks to the a strategic partner of AFAP with mother says that the shop is fi nancial literacy training.” whom they share a long term her lifeline. She currently earns commitment to implementing allowance for running the shop Apart from the general running development projects in Fiji. Both along with Naomi Lalabalavu who of the shop, the women also PCDF and AFAP are also active is also a single parent. rent out space in their shop to members of the Foundation for other women who come and sell the South Pacifi c International homemade buns, small handicraft (FSPI) network. NRM Completes Baseline Survey

By Paradise Tabucala After months of painstaking survey and analysis, PCDF has fi nally completed its baseline survey of 25 villages in 4 districts.

The survey was undertaken by volunteers and project offi cers from two projects namely the “Sustainable response to Food Security in remote rural Fiji” and Peni Seru with the women of Naicabecabe Village in the district of Moturiki. the “Community based marine management and climate and the areas where we could Fiji” Project which is an change impact preparedness.” assist especially in terms of climate Australian Aid intiative which is change. For example, in Naigani regionally co-ordinated by the The survey covered issues village in Batiki, it was found that Fiji Community Development from Health and sanitation, there were no mangroves and the Program, as well as the household and shelter, climate island was vulnerable in terms of “Community based marine change adaptation, Disaster disasters. This is one area where management and climate Risk management, health PCDF would be able to focus their change impact preparedness.” and nutrition, livelihoods and work. which is funded by Bread for Governance & Social factors. the World, a globally active The aim of the survey done by PCDF is the local implementing relief and development agency PCDF is to understand clearly arm for the “Sustainable response of the Protestant Churches in what the communities are like to Food Security in remote rural Germany. 2 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 4CA Project

Cross learning an eye opener By Paradise Tabucala A team of eleven representatives from six villages in Ra went on a two day cross learning experience to Serua and Yanuca Islands as part of the Child Centred Climate Change Adaptation (4CA) Fiji Program learning exercise. Representatives from the villages in the Ra Province. he 11 reps were from the 6 villages where the 4CA T island and saw fi rsthand how the Yanuca and Serua Island are sites project is being implemented in villagers of Yanuca island worked for another PCDF project which is Ra namely – Nayavuira, Navunivi, to ensure that their children had aimed at sustainability of marine Narikoso, Nakorovou, Nasau, a place to call home in the future. resources and also on climate and Veidrala villages. The team change adaptation. consisted mainly of the turaga-ni- koros and the individual reps from ...climate change is 4CA participant, Josaia Moce says the Village Disaster Committee. aff ecting Fiji as a that for him, the experience was an eye opener and he got to see On Day One, the team was taken whole... that climate change is affecting to Serua Island where they Fiji as a whole and also learnt new were able to see fi rst hand the means of ensuring longetivity and damaging effects of the waves The youth reps from Ra spoke also viability of the village for on the island. Serua village is in of how the 4CA Project has future generations. the middle of two small hills and seen them take climate change due to the continuing effects of seriously and also about the 4CA project is funded by the climate change; the village guide various adaptation methods Australian Agency for International shows the area where the sea wall currently being implemented in Development (Australian Aid) used to be but is now ineffective. their villages such as mangrove through PLAN International planting and the set up of the Australia (PIA) to implement the Day two saw the Ra team head Disaster Committee. 4CA Project in Ra. The 4CA project to Yanuca island. A rocky terrain is managed regionally by FSPI. 4CA Wins UN Award

The Child Centered Climate The UN Offi ce for Disaster Change Adaptation (4CA) Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Sub- program been awarded the Regional Offi ce awarded the PILAR inaugural UN PILAR award. to 4CA last month, recognising the exemplary action taken by The 4CA project is implemented the Project to build community in 6 Pacifi c countries - Fiji, and national resilience through , , Papua disaster risk reduction measures. New Guinea and . It is coordinated in Fiji by the 6 villages in Ra namely Nasau Foundation of the Peoples of the village, Nayavuira, Narikoso, Suresh Pokharel the Program Manager - South Pacifi c and implemented Navuniivi, Nakorovou and Veidrala Disaster Risk Reduction (Plan International by the Partners in Community were the pilot project sites for Fiji. - Australia) with Roshni Chand and Amit Development Fiji. of FSPI - the regional partners in the 4CA program.

3 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 ACIAR Project Blueprint for brilliant beche-de-mer.

Na vakarautaki ni sasalu After 170 years Pacifi c ni waitui me ivoli: artisanal fi sheries now have a Na ivola me ra vakayagataka na dauqoli ena Pasifika comprehensive guide on how to prepare the sea cucumber for sale. By Paradise Tabucala brand new guidebook to A processing sea cucumbers popular in China, used as a key developed by project partners luxury ingredient of festive dishes. Southern Cross University and the Secretariat of the Pacifi c More than 4000 copies have been Community has been launched printed and will soon be distributed and translated into the Fiji, Tonga through village-based workshops and Kiribati languages. in the ACIAR project.

Sea cucumber can fetch high prices teach them the best ways to cut, The research is also hoping to have if processed correctly and up till salt, dry and store sea cucumbers benefi ts to fi shery sustainability, now, many Pacifi c fi shers lacked using their own village resources. as sea cucumber numbers are the know-how to properly prepare Purcell says the project aims to threatened by overfi shing. By their harvest which resulted in improve livelihoods of village encouraging more time spent in poor and variable returns. Senior fi shers in the Pacifi c as sea value-adding of their product, Research Offi cer, Steven Purcell cucumbers have been hand- and higher sale prices, fi shers says the research being done collected and exported from the may have less need, or less time, in Fiji by Partners in Community Pacifi c Islands since the 1840s. to go fi shing. Whether or not Development (PCDF) is targeting Once processed to a dried product that happens will be determined its main efforts in this area and known as ‘beche-de-mer’ in the through analyses of the survey is working with Pacifi c fi shers to food world, they are particularly data. Baseline survey completed. The survey is part of the project selling their produce whether undertaken by Southern they sell it fresh or they process it Cross University and funded themselves and whether they are by the Australian Centre for satisfi ed with the income they get International Agricultural from selling sea cucumber. Research and implemented in Fiji by Partners in Community The next step for the research Development Fiji (PCDF). team is to investigate the impacts of their interventions on the PCDF Projects offi cers have been livelihoods of the fi sher folk. conducting the surveys which ‘Before-and-after’ socio-economic started in February this year in surveys will test whether the new Ra and have so far interviewed improved methods and teachings over 150 fi shers. The surveys have benefi ted fi shers and their look at the fi sher’s main source of families. income, the amount of times they go out fi shing, the sea cucumber stock and how the fi shers are 4 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 PHVA Program

Farmer now earns close to $1,000 selling tomatoes By Paradise Tabucala

he Partnership in High Value TAgriculture (PHVA) project in Nadarivatu has had a huge impact on the lives of the 200 monitoring and assistance. Then the PHVA project came into farmers taking part in the Project. Nadarivatu and I am very happy The project is currently being Speaking to PCDF, Rokovisa says for it.” implemented by Partners in that there was a point in time Community Development Fiji with where he would worry as he did Rokovisa proudly showed the staff stationed in the highlands to not know where to get the next PCDF team around the village and assist and monitor the farmers. meal from. He would also have to it was heartening to see 11 houses search for means to feed his four in the village with Pacifi c The Project which was launched children. He adds this is all a thing dishes and ask anyone about the in August last year sees farmers of the past now for him. Super 15 and they will give you planting and then selling the latest updates. He also took us vegetables like tomatoes, “I have four children, the youngest to his house and where he showed capsicum and even celery during in kindergarten with the eldest in us his new 45’’ fl at screen TV, new the off season period. This has Class 8. Before, I would not know twin tub washing machine and seen farmers earning money they where to get money to pay for deep freezer which he bought last never dreamed of before and their their fees, books and even the month. standard of living vastly improved. hostel fees but now, I have paid for the year. All thanks to the With the near future looking good The PHVA project is based in an PHVA project, I now earn over for him, Rokovisa says that before area of 3 highland Districts which $1,000 a month from selling off the end of the year, he would like lie on the border of the Provinces season tomatoes. The Project to buy farm tools for himself as of Navosa, Ba and Naitasiri. The also enlightened me a lot; I have well as buy a pair of bullocks. communities in these target areas undergone business training on are full time smallholder farmers how to budget, also taught how The rationale for the PHVA project and there is a high level of poverty. to use farming equipment and is that smallholder farmers have However participants are seeing a farming husbandry methods.” good resource potential and the huge improvement in their lives. ability to produce marketable Rokovisa says in the beginning surpluses that would increase Ilaisa Rokovisa a forty year old the concept of changing to new their incomes and reduce poverty, farmer of Naga Village, is living farming was hard as his father but they are not often able to proof of this as he was once a had been a Yaqona farmer and he maximize this potential. casual laborer for the Public Works was brought up around yaqona Department earning around $140 however he says he does not The PHVA Project is funded by the a week and now earns over $400 regret the decision to join the International Fund for Agricultural weekly just from selling off season PHVA pilot project. Development (IFAD) and is tomatoes. implemented in Fiji by Partners “I resigned from PWD as it was a in Community Development Fiji Rokovisa is the assistant group struggle for me and then when I (PCDF) and the Fijian Government leader of Group 1 under the PHVA came back to the village, I was through the Department of project. The farmers have been lost. I did not know what to do. Agriculture plays an advisory role. divided into 7 groups for better 5 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 From a struggling yaqona farmer to a village money lender. By Paradise Tabucala

This is what the Partnership in High Value Agriculture Project has done for 54 year old Josefa Nagatu and his wife Karalaini who live in Naga Village in Nadarivatu.

he Partnership in High Value TAgriculture (PHVA) project in Nadarivatu which was launched in August last year sees farmers planting and selling vegetables like tomatoes, capsicum and even celery during the off season period. This has seen farmers earning money they never dreamed of before and their standard of living vastly improved.

The PHVA Project is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and is implemented in Fiji by Partners Josefa Nagatu and his wife Karalaini at home in Naga Village, Nadarivatu. in Community Development Fiji points to their corrugated iron water to her bure and raising (PCDF) and the Fijian Government house. three boys. Now she lives in her through the Department of own corrugated iron house with Agriculture plays an advisory role. “When you plant yaqona, you Sky Pacifi c channels, a TV, and Karalaini clearly recounts the time have to wait three to four years speaker system, adding that they when they had to look around for but with PHVA crops, it is just have started helping others as money to buy sugar and other three months. That house is the well. basic food items. fruit of the tomatoes and planting offseason vegetables all thanks to “Other villagers have been planting “We are third generation yaqona the PHVA project. With the $9,000 tomatoes for over 13 years but farmers and my husband was we got in the past 3 months we they are not having the returns we adamant to remain one. In have bought our TV, paid for my are having. Thanks to the training October our sugar was running son’s educational expenses at from the PHVA project, we have low and my husband said to Fiji National University and also been able to save and realize our harvest our grog which was not bought the things needed to build dreams. Now people come to us to yet ready but we heard about our new house.” loan money. So you would call us the PHVA project and my sons village money lenders.” and I convinced my husband to try it out. Our fi rst harvest in the The rationale for the PHVA project second week of December last ...the past 3 months is that smallholder farmers have year saw us harvest two gallons we have bought our good resource potential and the and one bucket of tomatoes, this ability to produce marketable saw us rake in over $150. This TV, paid for my son’s surpluses that would increase was more than enough for our their incomes and reduce poverty, sugar and basic necessities. So educational expenses but they are not often able to from January to March this year, maximize this potential. we have harvested 9 crates of ... and also bought the tomatoes and have made over The farmers have undergone $9,000. ” things needed to build farm business training such as our new house... budgeting as well as agriculture Josefa says the income from the husbandry and how to better use PHVA project in Nadarivatu has their resources and farming tools. made a huge difference in their When Karalaini married Josefa PCDF has one project offi cer lives. He leads the PCDF team to back in the 80s, they lived in a stationed in Nadarivatu and he is their residence just a few metres traditional bure up until last year. assisted by three volunteers from downill from the Naga Village So for over 30 years, Karailaini the surrounding villages. Community Hall. His wife Karalaini has had to struggle – carting

6 RA KAKA JUNE 2014 PHVA farmers now able to take loan.

Training and meeting venue for hire!

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.

For more information please contact our Offi ce Manager Twenty fi ve farmers taking and Naboubuca and these farmers on Tel.: 330 0392, or send an email to: [email protected] part in the Partnership in High will eventually have access to this Value Agriculture (PHVA) pilot loan facility. project in Nadarivatu are now able to take small loans from BSP was chosen to implement the Bank of the South Pacifi c the pilot credit scheme as it was (BSP) after a memorandum of a leading commercial bank in Fiji understanding was signed this and the region and that it was BSP Studies show that: week. management that proposed the - 1.1 BILLION PEOPLE IN THE pilot credit scheme and another WORLD DO NOT HAVE ACCESS he PHVA project is funded important factor was that BSP had TO SAFE WATER, THIS IS by the International Fund for a greater presence in rural areas ROUGHLY ONE SIXTH OF THE T Agriculture – a branch of the UNDP than the other commercial banks WORLDS POPULATION and is being piloted in Nadarivatu. and runs a mobile banking service - 2.6 BILLION PEOPLE DON’T Under the agreement, the farmers to increase its penetration in areas HAVE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE will be able to take loans from not well served by branches SANITATION; THAT IS TWO BSP based on the following FIFTHS OF THE WORLD’S understanding that the farmers Currently there are over 200 POPULATION provide 25% which can either farmers enrolled in the PHVA be in monetary form or labour pilot project in Nadarivatu and PPublished by PCDF while BSP provides 50% and the have undergone training such as 8 Denison Road, main donors IFAD through PCDF fi nancial literacy, plant husbandry P.O.Box 14447 provides the remaining 25% of and how to better use their , Fiji the value of the loan. resources for off season planting. Ph.:PhP .: (679)(6 3300392 Fax:Fax (679)( 3304315 BSP country manager Kevin The PHVA Project is funded by the Editor: Paradise Tabucala McCarthy says the bank is happy International Fund for Agricultural Website: www.pcdf.org.fj to be a part of such an endeavor Development (IFAD). It is www.facebook.com/pcdfi ji which looks at improving the implemented in Fiji by Partners To join our mailing list, please livelihood of farmers in rural in Community Development Fiji email [email protected] areas adding that the project will (PCDF) and the Fijian Government eventually be deployed to three through the Department of For general enquiries please districts across three provinces in Agriculture, which plays an email [email protected] Savatu in Ba, Nadrau in Navosa advisory role. 7