MORE than 90 women from every province in Vanuatu are attending a food security training workshop in Mele village, Efate, this week.
The community-based Food Security project is working with women from churches across Vanuatu to train them on how to conduct their own food security assessments in their village. The training also looks at how to prepare food supplies so that village families are more resilient in times of disaster.
The training has been organised by Vanuatu Christian Council. ‘Food security’ means that everyone has enough healthy and safe food all the time to have a strong and healthy life.
Many women have commented that because their village is so far from Santo and Port Vila, they don’t often have access to training and tools. This has been an opportunity for church women to come together and learn from each other.
Government Agricultural Officers have also noted that many times women are too shy to speak with the government officers, so even when support is available on the islands, it often doesn’t reach the women.
During this week the women are working alongside the Agricultural Extension Officers from their provinces. It is hoped the women will get to know their Provincial Agricultural Extension Officer and won’t feel as shy in the future to ask for advice or agricultural assistance.
The project has been possible through funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), European Union Humanitarian Aid, and Act for Peace, Global Mission Partners (GMP), and the Australian Lutheran World Service.