Suva Fiji, 22 October 2020 – The Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) was presented with a cheque by the Embassy of The People’s Republic of China in Fiji this morning. The funding provided is for a Food and Nutrition Project themed: ‘Strengthening Human Resilience in the Post-COVID 19 World through Healthy Food and Nutrition in the Ra Province’.
Agriculture is the backbone of Fiji’s rural economy and is crucial to the provision of food security, economic livelihood and the reduction in imported food and vegetables. The selected site, the Ra province, has the majority of the population directly dependent on the agricultural sector. Due to the impact of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the farmers have been trying to have alternative sources of income to sustain their livelihoods. Addressing food and nutrition security will not only provide this alternative source of income but will also boost immune systems that would fight against these outbreaks in the absence of proper vaccines or medicine.
The food and nutrition project in the Ra Province will focus on building resilience by up skilling and exchanging knowledge with communities on better nutrition intake and greater use of local produce through training programmes and assessments.
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China has a long-term relationship with the PIDF Secretariat and the Secretariat is grateful for their generosity and will continue to work together in providing assistance in building climate resilient communities.
