The West Ambrym Farmers’ Association for Change (WAFAC) has entered into an inter-island trade agreement with their counterparts from South Malekula island in Vanuatu.
The agreement was signed between the West Ambrym Area Council and the South Malekula Area Council at Maskelyne island.
The association was established recently to assist and encourage local farmers of West Ambrym to invest in agriculture as a business at the same time ensuring food security.
Chairperson of WAFAC and the Interisland Trade Agreement Coordinator, Andrew Kevu, said, “The main motive of the agreement is to ensure farmers from the two area councils trade between each other with root crops, vegetables, and value added products such as virgin coconut oil from West Ambrym to South Malekula and other produces such as, green kava, fish and handicrafts from South Malekula to West Ambrym.
“A successful signing agreement was followed by the sale of local produce such as 80 bundles of island cabbages, over 400 kilos of sweet potatoes and other value added products were sold out within 30 minutes.
“The income received during the sale was VT 170,000.
West Ambrym Farmers’ Association for Change spent VT 150,000 to buy fish, mats and handicraft.
“The farmers and people of the two area councils are enjoying the benefits of this agreement and are ready to engage in the next trade.
“The interisland trade activity will happen fortnightly and this is a huge achievement for West Ambrym farmers.”
“The main challenge now is the means of transportation to ensure the sustainability of the trade agreement.
Kevu said, “We want to invest in agriculture crops as a substitute of income we have been receiving through copra.
“West Ambrym has been badly affected by volcanos but recently there are no huge eruption so while we have the chance, I encourage everyone to return to farming and be ready to trade under the trade agreements that we have and other agreements that will be signed in the future and also looking at trade at the Port Vila market,” Kevu added.
Photo supplied Caption: West Ambrym farmers and South Malekula community