BY ALEX DADAMU
YOUTHS of Lord Howe and Sikaiana will soon engage in a farming initiative aimed at strengthening food security at the Outer Islands as the state of food security there is worsening alarmingly.
President of Malaita Provincial Youth Council, Phillip Subu confirmed that he received word from Regional Minister and Officer responsible for the Malaita Outer Islands region.
According to the Youth Council President, the main idea is to engage Lord Howe and Sikaiana Youths in Kava farming for income generation and other food crops such as taro farming for food security.
“My executive and I will discuss further plans to work together with Malaita Outer Island Youths, their MPAs and the Malaita Provincial Government to commence work on the initiative.
“We understand, the state of food security at the outer islands is worsening daily, weekly and monthly, we need to quickly address the food security issue, we don’t need any million dollar funding to start it, we only need to bring together all our existing resources and work together with our youths from other regions in Malaita Province,” said Subu.
According to recent research by a Land-use specialist, the soil is a major problem there hence the people are facing gardening problems and food shortages.
The Land-Use Specialist Jimmy Walton in an interview with Islands Sun Newspaper recently stated that soil can be measured or rated out of 145 land systems in the Solomon Islands.
“The land-soil identified in MOI is rated at 3/145, and that low finding shows the soil is not productive for gardening purposes,” Mr. Walton revealed.
Land-Use Specialist Mr. Walton in the meantime recommended that to improve the soil in the islands there is a need to come up with land-use response plans like soil management practice. Meanwhile, Malaita Provincial Youth Council President, Phillip Subu has revealed that Youth groups from other regions in Malaita Province such as Kwara’ae and others have already shown their interest and willingness to support the initiative.
“It is a welcoming and good news to see Youths taking the initiative to solve complex issues such as climate change and economic empowerment, more importantly, it is rural and grassroots youths that are taking the lead from their own and limited resources.
“The clock is ticking, time waits for no man. We must work hard and work smart,” Phillip Subu said.
