ROTUMA BIO-FUEL PROJECT REPORT ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BASELINE ASSESSMENT, ROTUMA Environment Consultants Fiji January 2012 Environment Consultants Fiji Social Economic Assessment – Rotuma Bio-fuel Project REPORT ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BASELINE ASSESSMENT OF THE BIO-FUEL PROJECT, ROTUMA Report prepared for: Department of Energy P.O. Box 2493 Government Buildings Suva, Fiji By: Environment Consultants Fiji 259 Prince’s Rd., Suva Environment Consultants Fiji Ltd Page i Social Economic Assessment – Rotuma Bio-fuel Project …………………………………….. Dick Watling Ph.D. Principal. Environment Consultants Fiji Ltd Page ii Social Economic Assessment – Rotuma Bio-fuel Project Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Objectives of Study ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Study Team ................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 The study area ............................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Method ......................................................................................................................... 5 2 Findings – background and social setting ................................................. 6 2.1 Local Population ............................................................................................................ 6 2.2 Administration .............................................................................................................. 7 2.3 Local Infrastructure ....................................................................................................... 7 2.3.1 Government services and amenities .................................................................................. 7 2.3.2 Schools ............................................................................................................................. 8 2.3.1 Access and Transportation................................................................................................ 8 2.3.2 Water Supply .................................................................................................................... 9 2.3.3 Power Supply ................................................................................................................... 9 2.3.4 Waste disposal ................................................................................................................. 9 2.3.5 Telecommunications ........................................................................................................ 9 3 Survey Findings - Socio-economic Status ................................................. 9 3.1 Summary of the sample group ....................................................................................... 9 3.2 Education .................................................................................................................... 13 3.3 Health services ............................................................................................................ 16 3.4 Employment and Occupations ..................................................................................... 19 3.5 Income and cost of living ............................................................................................. 19 3.6 Food staples ................................................................................................................ 27 3.7 Survey Findings - Living conditions ............................................................................... 27 4 Survey Findings - Agricultural Production and Use ................................. 33 4.1 General Agricultural Activity ........................................................................................ 33 4.2 Current Coconut-related Agricultural Activity ............................................................... 35 5 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 43 Environment Consultants Fiji Ltd Page iii Social Economic Assessment – Rotuma Bio-fuel Project LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Summary of Consultation Meetings held ............................................................................... 6 Table 2. Population of Rotuma by District and ethnicity according to the 2007 Census. Source Bureau of Statistics. .............................................................................................................................. 6 Table 3. Schools on Rotuma and their attendance roll in 2011 ........................................................... 8 Table 4. Summary of size and gender of sample group ..................................................................... 10 Table 5. Education of sample population from each district by gender ............................................ 14 Table 6. Response to the question: How do the children in your household travel to school? ........ 16 Table 7. Response to the questions how long does it take for your children to travel to school ..... 16 Table 8. Response to the question: How frequently do you visit a hospital/health centre over the course of a year? (Either as a patient or accompanying someone else) ........................................... 17 Table 9. Response to the question: For what purpose do you usually visit the hospital/health centre?................................................................................................................................................ 17 Table 10. Answer to the question: In the transportation you use, how long does it take you to travel to the nearest hospital/health centre? .............................................................................................. 18 Table 11. Answer to the question: In the transportation you use, how much does it cost to travel to the nearest hospital/health centre? .................................................................................................. 19 Table 12. Main Occupations in each District ...................................................................................... 19 Table 13. Average weekly household income for each district .......................................................... 20 Table 14. Top 5 sources of income for Pepjei District ........................................................................ 21 Table 15. Top 5 sources of income for Oinafa district ....................................................................... 21 Table 16. Top 5 sources of income for Juju district ............................................................................ 21 Table 17. Top 5 sources of income for Malhaha district .................................................................... 21 Table 18. Top 5 sources of income for Itutiu district ......................................................................... 22 Table 19 Top 5 sources of income for Noatau district ....................................................................... 22 Table 20. Top 5 sources of income for Itumuta district ..................................................................... 22 Table 21. Top 5 household expenses for Pepjei District .................................................................... 23 Table 22. Top 5 household expenses for Oinafa District.................................................................... 23 Table 23. Top 5 household expenses for Juju District ........................................................................ 23 Table 24. Top 5 household expenses for Malhaha District ................................................................ 23 Environment Consultants Fiji Ltd Page iv Social Economic Assessment – Rotuma Bio-fuel Project Table 25. Top 5 household expenses for Itutiu District ..................................................................... 24 Table 26. Top 5 household expenses for Noatau District .................................................................. 24 Table 27. Top 5 household expenses for Itumuta District ................................................................. 24 Table 28. Response to the question: Do you personally save money? .............................................. 25 Table 29. Response to the question: If you need money urgently, how do you address this? ......... 26 Table 30. Response to the question: Does your household send any remittance to family members and/or relatives who live elsewhere in Fiji or overseas? ................................................................... 26 Table 31 Three main food staples identified by respondents from each district .............................. 27 Table 32. Response to the question: What are your walls made of? ................................................ 27 Table 33. Response to the question: What is your roofing made of? ................................................ 28 Table 34. Response to the question: How do you provide lighting in your house? .......................... 28 Table 35. Means of sewage disposal by village .................................................................................. 29 Table 36. Response to the question: How do you make a phone call when you need to? ............... 29 Table 37. Response to the question: What is your main means of transport. .................................. 30 Table 38. Types of Fuel used by households