Malekula

Japan’s Ambassador to Vanuatu, Chiba Hirohisa, signed the Grant contract with Erickson Sammy, Acting Director General of the Ministry, to formalize the assistance on Friday.

The project will improve the water supply system and sanitation/hygiene environment for Vao area with the installation of two solar pumps, water distribution pipelines and 62 shared water taps.

The project includes training for committee members of the community in areas like operation and maintenance to ensure the reliable access to safe water and sanitation.

“It is important to carry out regular water assessments to make sure water systems are up-to-date and people have access to safe and clean water,” said Annie Samuels, Project Manager for Vanuatu company, Hexagon Water Specialists.

Hexagon Water Specialists has conducted water assessments in western Malekula at Wintua, Limbenwen, Lorlow and Tenmaru; and in northwest Pentecost at Laone village as part of the By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative.

The event was officially open by the newly elected President of Malampa provincial council, Aisick Abel yesterday.

The 1-week event will end on June 5 to coincide with World Environment Day (WED) which falls on June 5 every year.

The United Nations (UN) theme for the WED is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’. According to UN, Ecosystem Restoration can take many forms: Growing trees, greening cities, rewilding gardens, changing diets or cleaning up rivers and coasts. This is the generation that can make peace with nature.

“For farmers it’s very challenging, the women are earning good income between 1,500 VT to 80, 000 VT from selling vegetables but there are no proper recording system in place to document their income and expenses,” said Peter Kaoh the Associate Director of Farm Support Association – Vanuatu.

“Staff visited 5 womens’ group in North West, North East and Central West Malekula to distribute vegetable seeds along with Dipel and seedling trays to support women during the off season vegetable production.”

The winning bid is for the sum of USD$5.84 million.

There were four bidders on June 20 2019 including Map/Vortex Joint Venture (JV) of New Zealand; HNAC Technology Company Ltd of China (Single Entity); Pacific Engineering Projects Ltd of New Zealand (SE), and the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) with Dongfang Electric International Corporation (DEC) (JV).

The Vanuatu Project Management Unit (VPMU) anticipates that a signing of the contract between the government and the New Zealand joint venture company will take place before the end of the month.

Officers from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development visited Metenesel Cocoa Project on Malekula recently as part of the Government’s plan to increase production on farms.

“Currently Metenesel Cocoa Project produces over 80 tons of cocoa beans annually that are exported to overseas market. This is due to poor plantation management and old cocoa trees”.

“There are over 600 cocoa farmers throughout the country, excluding other farmers who are working with local cocoa only,” the department said.