BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
COMMUNITIES on Simbo Island in Western Province are slowly returning to gardening activities following the destruction caused by Tropical Cyclone Maila earlier this year.
Families across the island have begun replanting crops in an effort to restore food security and rebuild their livelihoods after strong winds and saltwater intrusion devastated gardens and food sources.
Member of the Western Provincial Government for Simbo, Gideon Tuke, said the determination shown by communities reflect the resilience of the people despite the hardship they continue to face.
“Families are now replanting their gardens in an effort to become self-reliant again,” Mr Tuke said.
He said Cyclone Maila had severely affected food gardens across the island, leaving many households dependent on rice supplied through government assistance.
According to Mr Tuke, the recovery of food gardens will take another three to four months before crops are ready for harvesting.
“This is a major concern because people are relying heavily on rice while waiting for their gardens to recover,” he said.
He added that there are currently no vegetables available on the island because saltwater contamination destroyed most crops during the cyclone.
The prolonged shortage of fresh food has placed additional pressure on families already struggling to recover from the disaster.
Mr Tuke said recovery support needs to arrive quickly to help communities rebuild homes and restore essential services and infrastructure, including schools and clinics damaged by the cyclone.
“Lots of people want to know the timeline of the recovery effort,” he said.
He urges both government and aid partners to speed up recovery programs to ensure affected communities can return to normal life as soon as possible.
Despite the challenges, communities in Simbo continue to work together and remain hopeful that conditions will improve in the coming months.
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