The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) has officially opened the Transformation Pathways Training Workshop; a three-day program aimed at strengthening Solomon Islands’ capacity to plan and implement sustainable agricultural and food system strategies.
The opening remarks was delivered by Deputy Secretary Special Duties (DSSD), Mr. Simon Baete, who welcomed participants and development partners, acknowledging the support of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), as well as collaborators from Cawthron Institute New Zealand, University of Technology Sydney, CSIRO, WWF Solomon Islands, the Pacific Community (SPC), and other institutions.
Mr. Baete emphasized that the workshop comes at a critical time as the country faces increasing challenges from climate change, population growth, global pandemics, and pressure on natural resources. He stressed the need to move beyond traditional approaches and explore new pathways that build resilience, sustainability, and prosperity for Solomon Islanders.
“This training provides us with an opportunity to use evidence-based planning tools and forward-looking methods to anticipate uncertainties and design strategies that will secure food and nutrition for our communities, strengthen rural livelihoods, and safeguard our environment for generations to come,” Mr. Baete said.
The training is being delivered under the Future Kaikai Project, which supports Solomon Islands in developing transformation pathways for agriculture and food systems. The project focuses on building national capacity, ensuring that innovative planning tools can be applied directly to government policy and program development.
The project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and aims to support long-term pathway planning for community-level food systems transformation under climate change. It is implemented by WWF Solomon Islands, in collaboration with the Cawthron Institute New Zealand and the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney.
Project Leader, Dr. James Butler, expressed the crucial need for transformation, stating:
“Food systems pathways are a crucial tool to help adapt to climate and social change and support environmental and food security outcomes. This tool supports MAL officers in food systems planning to support extension officers and communities. This helps identify priority crops and livestock systems that will thrive in the future.”
Mr. Baete also highlighted the importance of partnership, noting that no single institution can address these challenges alone. “This initiative reflects the strong collaboration between government, research institutions, development partners, and our local communities. Together, we can design transformation pathways that reflect not only global best practice, but also our Solomon Islands values, culture, and aspirations,” he added.
The Transformation Pathways Training Workshop will run for three days, bringing together senior officers from various Departments of MAL to share knowledge, engage in practical training, and chart new directions for the future of Solomon Islands’ agri-food systems.
Source: Press Release – MAL
