Vanuatu has launched a new Melanesia Rural Market and Innovation Development (MERMAID) Project in Tanna.
The three-year project will support agriculture and agribusinesses to improve food security, nutrition, and rural incomes.
It is aligned with the National Sustainable Development Goals and complements the work of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Forestry and Biosecurity.
Director General Moses Amos outlined the six components of the project that include linking farmers to domestic buyers and increasing production through enhanced farming techniques.
Amos said, “The participatory research will help provide tailored farming and business training, promote healthy eating, and inform future policy and practice. The project will actively engage and support women, youth, and people with special needs.”
World Vision Vanuatu will lead the implementation in Tanna.
World Vision Country Director, Kendra Derousseau said, “We are delighted to be able to bring this project to Tanna in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Tafea Province, and our deep network of provincial and national partners.”
The project is funded through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a special agency of the United Nations that invests in projects to empower rural people around the world.