BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Sea grapes farmers in the Western province are being supported to improve their harvest and livelihoods.
World Wide Fund for Nature Solomon Islands (WWF-SI) is enhancing the knowledge and skill of the sea grape farmers through regular sea grapes monitoring visits and training.
WWF-SI manager and Sirubai Voko Tribe Association (SVTA) Advisor, Henry Kaniki told this paper yesterday that WWF SI has been conducting a monitoring visit to the sea grapes farming sites in four communities in the Western Province.
He said that the activity aims to assess the growth progress and health of the seaweed, ensuring sustainable harvesting and improved livelihoods for local farmers.
“Under the WWF-SI we work with four communities to manage their sea grapes farms. Pusiju is one of the communities. So, two of our team members who have been doing the monitoring as of last week until this week are still visiting the other three communities to do regular monitoring and data collection,” Kaniki said.
He said this ongoing initiative supports community-based aquaculture and promotes environmentally friendly income opportunities for coastal households.
“We have trained local rangers as part of the project engagement with communities to do the data collection and monitoring to work with these communities. Not only sea grapes but they also do assessment monitoring on mangrove ecosystems, reef, fish, invertebrates,” he said.
He said that WFF-SI works together with communities to come up with management roles so they can sustainably harvest their sea grapes farms.
“So, they have rules, like for example how many baskets to be harvested, how often to harvest within a week. They have their management rules.
“We are trying to move to another by building the capacity of youths, just not only to conduct awareness at the community but to engage them to do the work. Currently, under this project we sponsored four rangers to do certificate programme at SINU. They are ones to lead their communities upon the completion of their studies,” he said.
Kaniki mentioned that this activity is supported by the Climate Resilience and Nature Project and funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade DFAT.
Photo: Supplied
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