By RODRICK DESURI
AUKI
The agricultural sector can create employment opportunities, provide food, and serve as a source of income for grassroots-level youth in the country.
Member of Parliament for Kiritimati and Kanton in Kiribati, Teriba Tabe, said that the Solomon Islands is rich in agricultural products and needs to engage unemployed youth in agricultural activities.
He stated that by doing this, the country can address the current surge in unemployment, food security, and economic growth.
“Smaller Island States like Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands need a fresh abundance of agricultural produce like that of the Solomon Islands,” he said.
He stressed that by adding and providing the right policies, the national government can attract unemployed youth into the country’s agricultural sector and address the increasing social issues in urban areas.
In spite of that, agriculture provides not only food security, but it also provides a source of income to rural communities and a source of healthy foods.
Tabe also emphasised that agriculture can slow the widespread dependence of people on imported foodstuff consumption, which has caused a high rise in non-communicable diseases in the country.
“The more focus engaged in agricultural sectors, the healthier foodstuff produced for the population, leading to a healthier lifestyle for people,” he said.
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